More than 95% of persons aged 50 years or older are latently infected with varicella-zoster virus and are at risk for symptomatic reactivation manifesting as herpes zoster (HZ); lifetime risk for this outcome is about 30%.
Risk increases with age and is increased further by immunosuppression and a growing list of comorbid conditions, including diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, inflammatory bowel disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Herpes zoster causes significant illness and health care costs, especially among those who develop postherpetic neuralgia. In 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA …
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