ArticleBMJ open2023
Disseminated varicella zoster virus infection following live attenuated herpes zoster vaccine: descriptive analysis of reports to Australia's spontaneous vaccine pharmacovigilance system, 2016-2020.
Article in BMJ open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 14 citations in OpenAlex.
- Vaccination of Adults With Cancer: ASCO Guideline.Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology · 2024Guideline
- Disseminated herpes zoster in adults: a single-center retrospective study on clinical spectrum and risk factors for adverse outcomes.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
- Off-label use of recombinant adjuvanted Herpes Zoster vaccine in a 10-year-old high-risk patient affected by epidermolysis bullosa: A case report.Human vaccines & immunotherapeutics · 2025Article
- Microbial Aerosols in Livestock Farming Environment: A Threat That Cannot Be Ignored.Veterinary sciences · 2025Review
- Vaccination Against Herpes Zoster in Adults: Current Strategies in European Union Countries.Vaccines · 2025Review
- Research Progress on Varicella-Zoster Virus Vaccines.Vaccines · 2025Review
- Insights into pathologic mechanisms occurring during serious adverse events following live zoster vaccination.Journal of virology · 2025Review
- Learning from inborn errors of immunity and secondary immune deficiencies about vaccine immunogenicity, efficacy, and safety.Clinical and experimental immunology · 2025Review
- Lipo-pam™ adjuvanted herpes zoster vaccine induces potent gE-specific cellular and humoral immune responses.NPJ vaccines · 2024Article
- Burden of Herpes Zoster in Individuals with Immunocompromised Conditions and Autoimmune Diseases in the Republic of Korea: A Nationwide Population-Based Database Study.Infectious diseases and therapy · 2023Article
- Immunogenicity in Mice Immunized with Recombinant Adenoviruses Expressing Varicella-Zoster Virus Envelope Glycoprotein E.Viruses · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesTo examine the reported incidence and features of disseminated varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection following live attenuated herpes zoster vaccine live (ZVL: Zostavax, Merck) in immunocompromised people in Australia. DESIGN AND
settingZVL was funded in 2016 in Australia for people aged 70 years, with a catch-up programme for those 71-79 years. From 2016 to 2020, three deaths due to disseminated vaccine-strain VZV infection occurred following inadvertent ZVL administration in individuals with varying levels of immunocompromise. This descriptive study examined 4 years of national surveillance data reported to the Therapeutic Goods Administration's Adverse Event Monitoring System (AEMS). Denominator data for rates were from doses recorded in the Australian Immunisation Register.
participantsIndividuals vaccinated between 1 November 2016 and 31 December 2020 who experienced adverse event(s) following immunisation (AEFI) after ZVL recorded in the AEMS. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Rates and outcomes of confirmed (Oka strain positive) or probable disseminated VZV infection, and inadvertent administration of ZVL in immunocompromised individuals.
results854 AEFI were reported from 1 089 966 doses of ZVL administered (78.4 per 100 000 doses). Of those, 14 were classified as confirmed (n=6, 0.55 per 100 000) or probable (n=8) disseminated VZV infection. The confirmed cases were all hospitalised, and most (5/6) were immunocompromised; three cases died. Thirty-seven individuals were reported as vaccinated despite a contraindication due to immunocompromise (3.4 per 100 000), with 12/37 (32%) hospitalised.
conclusionsDisseminated VZV is potentially life-threatening and occurs mostly in those with severe immunocompromise. Inadvertent administration of ZVL to immunocompromised individuals has occurred despite initial provider guidance and education. Multiple additional strategies to assist providers to identify contraindications have been implemented to prevent adverse outcomes.
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