Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34579250›Full record

ReviewVaccines2021

Varicella Zoster Virus Reactivation Following COVID-19 Vaccination: A Systematic Review of Case Reports.

Konstantinos Katsikas Triantafyllidis, Panagiotis Giannos, Imran Tariq Mian, George Kyrtsonis, Konstantinos S Kechagias

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Vaccines, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 73 papers, 8 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
73citing papers in PubMed, 8 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

73 citing papers in PubMed, 8 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  5. Oral Lesions Following Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination: A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022
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  10. Transient Increased Risk of Shingles Post-Shingrix Vaccination: Self-Controlled Case-Series Analysis.Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America · 2025
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13 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Konstantinos Katsikas TriantafyllidisDepartment of Nutrition & Dietetics, Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton & Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, Taunton TA1 5DA, UK.
Panagiotis GiannosSociety of Meta-Research and Biomedical Innovation, London W12 0BZ, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-1037-1983
Imran Tariq MianBrighton and Sussex Medical School, Falmer BN1 9PX, UK.
George KyrtsonisDepartment of General Surgery, Croydon University Hospital, Croydon, London CR7 7YE, UK.
Konstantinos S KechagiasSociety of Meta-Research and Biomedical Innovation, London W12 0BZ, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-6681-8479

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The newly developed COVID-19 vaccines have established a safe profile, yet some individuals experience a wide range of adverse events. Recently, reactivation of varicella zoster virus (VZV) has been observed after administration of different COVID-19 vaccines, although causality remains a matter of debate. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the available literature and provide an overview of reported cases of VZV reactivation following COVID-19 vaccination. We identified 12 eligible articles which included 91 patients with herpes zoster (HZ) following COVID-19 vaccination. Hypertension was the main comorbidity present in 18% of patients (16/91). Additionally, 13% of patients (12/91) had an autoimmune condition with rheumatoid arthritis being the most common (4/12). Moreover, 10% of patients (9/91) were receiving immunosuppressants. The dermatomal distribution of skin lesions varied among patients, with the mammary region being most affected. On average, symptoms developed 5.8 days post-vaccination irrespective of dose and treatment with oral valacyclovir as a monotherapy was employed in most patients (23/91). HZ is possibly a condition clinicians may expect to encounter in patients receiving COVID-19 vaccines. While causality has not yet been established increased awareness and early recognition of the disorder would be crucial for the optimal management of these patients.

Indexed as

case reportscase seriescoronavirusCOVID-19 vaccineherpes zosterSARS-CoV-2systematic reviewVaricella zoster virus

Identifiers

PMID34579250
PMCPMC8471236

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.