As a family doctor, he had recently noticed a greater severity of the physical effects of shingles. This is especially true for the most feared consequence, post-herpetic neuralgia. This is severe pain after the occurrence of shingles. They are similar to those caused by a burn, often including a sting.
“This is due to the inflammation of the nerve that results from the reactivation of the varicella virus,” explains Dr. Piccoliori. This type of pain occurs in almost a quarter of cases. They can last a few weeks or months, sometimes even years, if not a lifetime.
These are the risk groups
People who have a weakened immune system due to other illnesses and health problems (e.g. AIDS, leukemia, transplants or dialysis) are primarily at risk. Diabetics and older people have an increased risk of contracting and developing severe forms of herpes zoster, and younger people are also more affected. “Beyond that,” says Dr. Piccoliori states, “there is already enough scientific evidence to confirm that zoster is more common in those who have recently been infected with Covid-19.”
effectiveness of vaccination
In addition to the herpes zoster vaccination, according to Dr. Piccolioris, the vaccination against varicella (chickenpox), which has been mandatory in Italy for several years, is the only possible form of prevention against shingles. “Any physical and mental stress can ‘wake up’ the varicella virus dormant in the nerve nodes and thereby trigger herpes zoster,” explains the general practitioner.
Vaccination against shingles can reduce cases of post-herpetic neuralgia by about 65 percent and clinical cases of herpes zoster by 50 percent. Vaccines will be offered free of charge to people at risk and to people over 64 years of age under the state immunization prevention plan 2017-2019.