Patient counselling advised regarding Shingrix vaccine
30 Oct 2024
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) noticed a potential safety issue with early shingles cases after Shingrix vaccination and asked SAEFVIC to investigate. Although Shingrix is highly effective in preventing shingles1, some cases of shingles soon after vaccination suggest it might cause varicella reactivation2.
There was found to be an increase in shingles cases within 21 days after the first Shingrix dose in people over 65. The risk drops below pre-vaccination rates after this period, showing strong protection and the vaccine’s benefits still outweigh the risks. Patient counselling is advised.
Izurieta HS, Wu X, Forshee R, Lu Y, Sung HM, Agger PE, et al. Recombinant Zoster Vaccine (Shingrix): Real-World Effectiveness in the First 2 Years Post-Licensure. Clin Infect Dis. 2021;73(6):941-8.
2 Altukhaim F, Mutlaq M, Alghamdi M, Hakami S. Reactivation of Herpes Zoster After Recombinant Vaccine (Shingrix): A Case Report. Cureus. 2023;15(1):e34431.