%0 Journal Article
%T The impact of herpes zoster and post-herpetic neuralgia on quality-of-life
%A Robert W Johnson
%A Didier Bouhassira
%A George Kassianos
%A Alain Lepl¨¨ge
%A Kenneth E Schmader
%A Thomas Weinke
%J BMC Medicine
%D 2010
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1741-7015-8-37
%X Findings show that HZ, and particularly PHN, have a major impact on patients' lives across all four health domains - physical, psychological, functional and social. There is a clear correlation between increasing severity of pain and greater interference with daily activities. Non-pain complications such as HZ ophthalmicus can increase the risk of permanent physical impairment. Some elderly individuals may experience a permanent loss of independence after an acute episode of HZ. Current challenges in the management of HZ and PHN are highlighted, including the difficulty in administering antiviral agents before pain becomes established and the limited efficacy of pain treatments in many patients. We discuss the clinical rationale for the HZ vaccine and evidence demonstrating that the vaccine reduces the burden of the disease. The Shingles Prevention Study, conducted among >38,000 people aged ¡Ý60 years old, showed that the HZ vaccine significantly reduces the burden of illness and the incidence of both HZ and PHN. In the entire study population, zoster vaccination reduced the severity of interference of HZ and PHN with activities of daily living by two-thirds, as measured by two questionnaires specific to HZ.A vaccination scheme may positively impact the incidence and course of HZ disease, thereby improving patients' quality-of-life.Herpes zoster (HZ) is a common, painful and debilitating condition caused by a reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) from a latent infection of sensory ganglia [1-3]. The disease course can be divided into four phases: prodrome, acute, subacute and chronic [4]. The prodrome occurs 1-5 days before the onset of HZ rash in 70%-80% of cases [5]. Symptoms are non-specific and range from itching to an intense burning sensation [6]. General constitutional symptoms (for example, fever, malaise, headaches) may also occur [5]. The acute phase of HZ disease is characterised by a vesicular skin rash in the affected dermatome which is usuall
%U http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/8/37