A Vaccine as an Option to Keep Shingles at Bay

News Type: Other — Seeded on Tue Oct 2, 2007 11:28 PM EDT

Article Source: The New York Times

Maybe you haven't heard anything about the shingles vaccine. Or maybe you have, but decided against getting it for any of a number of reasons like these:

• It is approved for people 60 and older, and you are 45.

• Your insurance does not cover it, and it costs $165 to $300.

• It protects just half of those vaccinated, and you would just as soon take your chances.

• No one yet knows how long the benefits will last.

• No one yet knows about delayed side effects.

• You do not know anything about shingles, so how common or bad can it be?

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Groups: HealthVine, Science And Technology, Sicko
Regions: New York

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{"commentId":1069931,"authorDomain":"luckydog"}

luckydog

You do not want to get shingles if you can avoid it. Been there, done that, miserable experience.

{"commentId":1069931,"threadId":"157265","contentId":"999435","authorDomain":"luckydog"}

4 votes

#1 - Tue Oct 2, 2007 11:29 PM EDT

{"commentId":1070083,"authorDomain":"sirmonkey"}

sirmonkey

Does this imply there is a decent possibility for vaccines of the other herpes variants? Those could sell well, perhaps better than this.

{"commentId":1070083,"threadId":"157265","contentId":"999435","authorDomain":"sirmonkey"}

2 votes

#2 - Wed Oct 3, 2007 1:44 AM EDT

{"commentId":1070090,"authorDomain":"luckydog"}

luckydog

That seems reasonable to surmise.
Shingles is the strangest disease. You have chickenpox as a kid and then it lies dormant for 40 years or so and boom one day you have shingles. The doctor mumbles some mumbo jumbo about stress. Yeah right, like I was not stressed out anytime in that 40 years.

{"commentId":1070090,"threadId":"157265","contentId":"999435","authorDomain":"luckydog"}

4 votes

#2.1 - Wed Oct 3, 2007 1:56 AM EDT

{"commentId":1070102,"authorDomain":"sirmonkey"}

sirmonkey

True. It's probably not that well understood when it comes down to it. I had heard a theory that re-exposure to chickenpox might be related to the re-emergence of the virus (as shingles). I've no idea if that has any validity -- just something I heard -- a rumor, theory or speculation many years ago.

The idea is that the re-exposure doesn't cause a second outbreak of chickenpox -- which one has become "immune" to, but instead promotes the localized (specific nerve) shingles outbreak where the old viruses have been sitting "dormant" or suppressed. I don't know if that is even a plausible theory, but it's at least more specific than "the stress caused it"! ;)

{"commentId":1070102,"threadId":"157265","contentId":"999435","authorDomain":"sirmonkey"}

3 votes

#2.2 - Wed Oct 3, 2007 2:26 AM EDT

{"commentId":1070111,"authorDomain":"luckydog"}

luckydog

Interesting theory. I think there is some age related trigger. I don't know what the stats are but it seems to me that most of the folks I know who have gotten it are in their 50's and yet it bypasses others completely.

{"commentId":1070111,"threadId":"157265","contentId":"999435","authorDomain":"luckydog"}

4 votes

#2.3 - Wed Oct 3, 2007 2:38 AM EDT

{"commentId":1070141,"authorDomain":"sirmonkey"}

sirmonkey

Apparently, EBV is also a bit of a mystery since most everybody gets it and only some get sick. But it hits early, rather than late. I happened to chat with someone today that had it kick in around 40 yrs old and it was quite a mystery to diagnose. It took a couple different doctors!

Infectious mononucleosis, "mono," "kissing disease," and glandular fever are all terms popularly used for the very common illness caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV, a member of the herpesvirus family). By the time most people reach adulthood, an antibody against EBV can be detected in their blood. In the U.S., up to 95% of adults aged 35-40 have antibodies directed against EBV. This means that most people, sometime in their lives, have been infected with EBV. ... It is of note that most people who are exposed to the EBV don't ever develop mononucleosis.

I had not heard prior to today (in this article and from that chat) that in very rare cases death can result from shingles or mono. That surprised me a bit. If they can nail down the side effects of this vaccine, it does sound potentially useful.

One thing strikes me a strange, as I think about it. This is a vaccine for shingles. But shingles is actually a re-emergency of chickenpox. So it's not a blocker or preventative of the initial infection, but of a later re-emergence, right? Seems a little different than other "vaccines". It's an after-infection treatment, in essence. Or am I mis-understanding the scenario?

{"commentId":1070141,"threadId":"157265","contentId":"999435","authorDomain":"sirmonkey"}

2 votes

#2.4 - Wed Oct 3, 2007 3:51 AM EDT

{"commentId":1070467,"authorDomain":"chum"}

Chum

Holy crap. I had never heard this before. Great--something else--possibly--lying in wait for me. Jeez.

{"commentId":1070467,"threadId":"157265","contentId":"999435","authorDomain":"chum"}

3 votes

#3 - Wed Oct 3, 2007 9:22 AM EDT

{"commentId":1071074,"authorDomain":"luckydog"}

luckydog

One thing strikes me a strange, as I think about it. This is a vaccine for shingles. But shingles is actually a re-emergency of chickenpox. So it's not a blocker or preventative of the initial infection, but of a later re-emergence, right? Seems a little different than other "vaccines". It's an after-infection treatment, in essence. Or am I mis-understanding the scenario?

You can only get shingles if you have had chickenpox. You cannot catch shingles from someone who has shingles but you can catch chickenpox from someone who has shingles if you have never had chickenpox.
My case was typical which is a large red rash on my left side that felt like I was physically being burned. Quick to come on and slow to leave, lasted months as the pain tapers off and the rash diminishes.
Some other people get it on their face and scalp. It is particularly bad when the optic nerve is involved (I have heard). In a few unfortunate folks the pain never does go away completely, I suppose do to some nerve damage and occasionally death does result. Get the vaccine if you are a candidate.

{"commentId":1071074,"threadId":"157265","contentId":"999435","authorDomain":"luckydog"}

2 votes

#4 - Wed Oct 3, 2007 1:05 PM EDT

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A Vaccine as an Option to Keep Shingles at Bay

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