Herpes zoster was, until recently, little known to the population. Last month, two cases caught the attention on social networks: that of cantor Justin Bieberwho appeared in a video with part of his face paralyzed after a complication caused by the viral infection and, more recently, that of presenter Fernanda Keullahospitalized with severe pain and blisters on the skin.
The disease is an infection reactivated by the Varicella zoster virus, same as chickenpoxwhich is incubated in about 80% of people and manifests later, mainly causing skin lesions with severe pain, symptoms that can be prevented by vaccination.
Popularly known as shingles, shingles is an infectious disease caused by the same virus as chicken pox. Diagnosis is usually based on clinical evaluation of the patient’s signs and symptoms, in addition to observation of skin lesions.Briefs/istock
*****Photo-Herpes-zoster-virus-6.jpgThe disease can manifest itself at any time in people who have had chickenpox or shingles at some point in their life. The virus remains dormant in the body for many years and can be reactivated in the most localized form at a nerve. rbkomar/Getty Images
*****Photo-Herpes-zoster-virus-7.jpgWhen immunity is low, for example, the virus can replicate again, causing symptoms to appear. The condition is also more likely to appear in people over the age of 60, who use corticosteroids, chemotherapy long-term, or who have diseases that weaken the immune system, such as AIDS or lupus. Peter Dazeley/Getty Images
*****Photo-Herpes-zoster-virus-2.jpgFor people who have never had chickenpox or have not been vaccinated, shingles is contagious. Therefore, children or other people who have never been infected with the virus should stay away from patients with the disease and not come into contact with the patient’s personal items.Elitsa Deykova/Getty Images
*****Photo-Herpes-zoster-virus-4.jpgSome of the main symptoms of shingles include intense itching in the affected area, pain, tingling or burning in the area, low fever, blistering and redness that mainly affects the chest, back or stomach area . Chokchai Silarug/Getty Images
*****Photo-Herpes-zoster-virus-8.jpgTreatment is with antiviral drugs and painkillers prescribed by the doctor to relieve pain and heal wounds faster. Strengthening the immune system can be a good prevention strategy David Sharpe/Eye Em/Getty Images
*****Photo-person-drying-the-face.jpgDuring treatment, precautions should also be taken, such as washing the affected area daily, without rubbing, and drying the area well. Wear comfortable cotton clothes, place a cold chamomile compress on the area, and do not apply non-prescription ointments or creamsJohner Images/Getty Images/Getty Images
*****Illustration-Herpes-zoster-virus-5.jpgAmong the most common complications of shingles is the persistence of pain for several weeks or months even after the skin blisters have disappeared. Among the less common are inflammation of the cornea and vision problems, requiring follow-up by an ophthalmologist. KATERYNA KON/SCIENTIFIC PHOTO LIBRARY/Getty Images
*****Photo-vaccine-against-virus-1.jpgVaccination is the only effective way to prevent the disease and its complications. Until then, the vaccine was only indicated for people over 60 years of age. However, recently the vaccine for adults over 18 has arrived in Brazilian private clinics.Andriy Onufriyenko/Getty Images
*****Photo-vaccine-against-virus-2.jpgThe vaccination is done with two doses, and each has the recommended price of R$843 – totaling R$1,686 – but the value may vary from clinic to clinic. The vaccine is not offered by the SUSCatherine Falls Publicity/Getty Images
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In mid-June this year, Brazilian private clinics have started importing the Shingrix vaccinefrom the GSK pharmaceutical laboratory, approved by the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) in August 2021. It stood out compared to the previously proposed immunizer, Zostavax, for having a much higher efficiency – 97% against 51% – and for cover new Risk Groups.
According to Ana Rosa dos Santos, vice president of the Brazilian Society of Vaccinations (SBIm) and responsible for vaccination of Grupo Sabin Medicina Diagnóstica, Shingrix was developed to have a longer lasting and stronger immune response thanks to its production method.
“The vaccine has become more modern and effective. It was produced on a state-of-the-art platform, so it provides a much more robust immunization, especially in elderly patients, which the previous one did not, and also in immunocompromised patients,” explains Ana Rosa.
Difference between vaccines
Shingrix is an inactivated virus vaccine, given in two doses, two months apart. Each has a recommended price of R$843 (totaling R$1,686), but the value may vary from one private clinic to another.
It is mainly indicated for people over 50, the age at which the immune system begins to weaken naturally. But young people aged 18 and over with some type of immune compromise or with diseases that weaken the body’s defense system can also be vaccinated.
The earlier version, Zostavax, on the other hand, is a single-dose vaccine made from attenuated virus. For this reason, explains Ana Rosa, it was contraindicated for the immunocompromised population.
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