A population based study of the epidemiology of Herpes Zoster and its complications

作者：Weitzman Dahlia^*; Shavit Oren; Stein Michal; Cohen Raanan; Chodick Gabriel; Shalev Varda

来源：Journal of Infection, 2013, 67(5): 463-469.

DOI：10.1016/j.jinf.2013.06.016

• Herpes Zoster
• Neuralgia
• Postherpetic
• Incidence
• Risk factors

Objectives: To assess the incidence of Herpes Zoster (HZ) and its complications in the Israeli general population and specifically in immune-compromised individuals, and to identify risk factors for developing HZ and post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN).
Methods: A retrospective database search for newly diagnosed cases of HZ and of PHN during 2006-2010 was conducted using the comprehensive longitudinal database of Maccabi Health Services. Cox-proportional hazards models were used to assess associations between risk factors and HZ and PHN.
Results: During 2006-2010 there were 28,977 newly diagnosed cases of HZ and 1508 newly diagnosed cases of PHN. Incidence density rate of HZ was 3.46 per 1000 person-years in the total population and 12.8 per 1000 person-years in immune-compromised patients. HZ and PHN incidence increased sharply with age. 12.4% and 3.1% of elderly HZ patients (>= 65 years) developed PHN or ophthalmic complications, respectively. In multivariable analyses, HZ and PHN were associated with female sex, higher socioeconomic status, diabetes mellitus, cancer history, and HIV treatment.
Conclusions: Extrapolating to the entire Israeli population, we estimate over 24,000 new cases of HZ and 1250 new cases of PHN each year. Cost-effectiveness analysis should be performed to determine the threshold age for vaccination against HZ.

• 出版日期2013-11