ReviewInfectious diseases and therapy2023
Epidemiology of Varicella Zoster Virus and Herpes Zoster Virus in Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: A Review of the Literature.
Review in Infectious diseases and therapy, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.
What it found
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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.
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.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 15 citations in OpenAlex.
- Varicella zoster virus-related myelitis: a case series and literature review.Virology journal · 2026Review
- Awareness Level of Herpes Zoster Infection Among the Residents of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.Cureus · 2026Article
- Uptake, Willingness, and Determinants of Herpes Zoster Vaccination in Adults with Chronic Diseases in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Demographical and Clinical Characteristics, Risk Factors, and Prognosis of Adult Patients with Herpes Zoster in Türkiye: A Retrospective, Multi-Center Study (VARICOMP-Adult Study).Infectious disease reports · 2025Article
- Seroprevalence of Varicella-Zoster Virus and the Need for Herpes Zoster Vaccination Among Adults in Saudi Arabia.Cureus · 2025Article
- Review
- Health-seeking behaviors and determinants among herpes zoster patients in South Wollo public hospitals, Ethiopia, 2022.Heliyon · 2024Article
- Epidemiology of herpes zoster in National Guard Hospitals in Saudi Arabia: a 6-year retrospective chart review study.Frontiers in public health · 2024Article
- Article
- Seroprevalence of Varicella Zoster Virus in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia in Post-vaccination Era.Medical archives (Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina) · 2023Observational
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionThe reactivation of varicella zoster virus (VZV) in previously infected individuals can cause herpes zoster (HZ), which is characterized by a localized, painful dermatomal rash. While there is a global trend of increasing HZ cases, there is a lack of research examining the epidemiology of HZ within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Therefore, we aimed to critically appraise evidence on VZV and HZ epidemiology in the GCC countries and identify gaps in the current literature.
methodsA literature review was conducted via a comprehensive appraisal of the literature. PubMed and local-language journals were searched to identify articles related to HZ and VZV published up until 31 January 2022, with a sole focus on the GCC countries. Included studies reported on surveillance data, seroepidemiology, and patient outcomes for HZ and VZV, and comprised primary data reports, case series, case reports, narrative and systematic literature reviews, studies reporting HZ incidence or prevalence, and Ministry of Health reports.
resultsThirteen studies were found that reported on VZV seroprevalence in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Qatar, ranging from 15.0% to 92.2%, while no data were identified for Bahrain, Kuwait, or Oman. There was very limited country-wide information on the incidence of HZ in GCC countries, and three identified studies reported HZ prevalence as seen in a single clinic, ranging from 0.62% to 2.3%. A single study from Saudi Arabia and government surveillance data reported on the impact of VZV vaccination on VZV infection, though there was no evidence on the impact of VZV vaccination on HZ.
conclusionThere is a clear gap in the literature regarding the incidence of HZ infection, and the impacts of HZ and VZV vaccinations in the GCC countries. Further research into the epidemiology of HZ is necessary to inform the implementation of vaccination programs in the GCC countries.
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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.