Download fulltext HTML
1.
Tsatsos M, Athanasiadis I, Myrou A, Saleh GM, Ziakas N. Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus: A Devastating Disease Coming Back with Vengeance or Finding Its Nemesis?. JOVR [Internet]. 2022Jan.21 [cited 2024Jun.9];17(1):123–129. Available from: https://knepublishing.com/index.php/JOVR/article/view/10177

https://doi.org/10.18502/jovr.v17i1.10177

statistics

  • 2754 Abstract Views
  • 526 PDF Views
  • 0 HTML Views
  • Cited by 1 article

authors

  • Michael Tsatsos

    Michael Tsatsos

    1st Department of Ophthalmology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
  • Ioannis Athanasiadis

    Ioannis Athanasiadis

    Moorfields Eye Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust at Bedford Eye Clinic, Bedford, UK
    https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6236-7540
  • Athina Myrou

    Athina Myrou

    1st Propeudeutic Internal Medicine Department, AHEPA University Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
  • George M Saleh

    George M Saleh

    National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK
  • Nikolaos Ziakas

    Nikolaos Ziakas

    2nd Department of Ophthalmology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece

Published Date

  • Jan 21, 2022
This journal is publishing all the articles under Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0.

Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus: A Devastating Disease Coming Back with Vengeance or Finding Its Nemesis?

Journal of Ophthalmic and Vision Research (JOVR) / January–March 2022, Volume 17, Issue 1 / Pages 123–129

Abstract

Herpes zoster ophthalmicus is a frequent, painful, and debilitating condition caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus alongside the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve. Twenty-five percent of adults will develop the disease during their lifetime with the risk increasing to one in two over the age of 50. Herpes zoster ophthalmicus presents with a plethora of ocular manifestations ranging from the characteristic rash in the distribution of the ophthalmic branch of the fifth cranial nerve to more severe keratouveitis, disciform keratitis, and even retinal necrosis. Up to 20% of affected patients develop post-herpetic neuralgia which can persist for years after the acute episode, resulting in potentially devastating consequences for the patient’s social, financial, and professional circumstances, as well as their quality of life and daily activities. Shingles prevention studies indicated that the herpes zoster vaccine markedly reduces the burden of the disease, as well as the incidence of both infection and post-herpetic neuralgia. Here we review the vaccinations available for herpes zoster, the reasons behind their limited adoption so far, as well as the future perspectives and challenges associated with this debilitating disease in the era of herpes zoster vaccination and coronavirus disease pandemic.

Keywords:

Eye, Herpes Zoster, Immunity, Vaccine

References
1. Kennedy PGE, Gershon AA. Clinical features of Varicella- Zoster virus infection. Viruses 2018;10:E609.

2. Wutzler P, Casabona G, Cnops J, Akpo EIH, Safadi MAP. Herpes zoster in the context of varicella vaccination - an equation with several variables. Vaccine 2018;36:7072– 7082.

3. Lecrenier N, Beukelaers P, Colindres R, Curran D, De Kesel C, De Saegher JP et al. Development of adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine and its implications for shingles prevention. Expert Rev Vaccines 2018;17:619– 634.

4. Harvey M, Prosser LA, Rose AM, Ortega-Sanchez IR, Harpaz R. Aggregate health and economic burden of herpes zoster in the United States: illustrative example of a pain condition. Pain 2020;161:361–368.

5. Johnson RW, Bouhassira D, Kassianos G, Leplège A, Schmader KE, Weinke T. The impact of herpes zoster and post-herpetic neuralgia on quality-of-life. BMC Med 2010;8:37.

6. Leidner AJ, Murthy N, Chesson HW, Biggerstaff M, Stoecker C, Harris AM et al. Cost-effectiveness of adult vaccinations: a systematic review. Vaccine 2019;37:226–234.

7. Stephenson E, Butt DA, Gronsbell J, Ji C, O’Neill B, Crampton N, et al. Changes in the top 25 reasons for primary care visits during the COVID-19 pandemic in a high-COVID region of Canada. PLoS One 2021;16:e0255992.

8. Kannan S, Shaik Syed Ali P, Sheeza A. Evolving biothreat of variant SARS-CoV-2 - molecular properties, virulence and epidemiology. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2021;25:4405–4412.

9. Good CB, Parekh N, Hernandez I. Avoiding rash decisions about zoster vaccination: insights from cost-effectiveness evidence. BMC Med 2018;16:238.

10. Harpaz R, Ortega-Sanchez IR, Seward JF, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prevention of herpes zoster: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR Recomm Rep 2008;57:1–30.

11. Dooling KL, Guo A, Patel M, Lee GM, Moore M, Belongia EA, et al. Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for Use of Herpes Zoster Vaccines. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2018;67:103–108.

12. Shapiro M, Kvern B, Watson P, Guenther L, McElhaney J, McGeer A. Update on herpes zoster vaccination: a family practitioner’s guide. Can Fam Physician 2011;57:1127–1131.

13. Galvis V, Tello A, Carre?o NI, Berrospi RD, Ni?o CA, Rey JJ. Herpes Zoster vaccination: an urgent priority. Cornea 2018;37:e57–e58.

14. Weinberg A, Kroehl ME, Johnson MJ, Hammes A, Reinhold D, Lang N, et al. Comparative immune responses to licensed Herpes Zoster vaccines. J Infect Dis 2018;218:S81–S87.

15. ClinicalTrials.gov. Training the innate immune system against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) using the Shingrix vaccine in nursing home residents (NH-Shingrix) [Internet]; 2020 Aug 21 [cited 2021 August 2021]. Available from: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/results/NCT04523246

16. Athanasiadis I, Konstantinidis A, Papaioannou A, Ioannis Kyprianou I, Georgiadis N. A case of Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus associated with multiple ocular and extraocular manifestations. Neuro-Ophthalmology 2008;32:75–79.

17. Psichogiou M, Samarkos M, Mikos N, Hatzakis A. Reactivation of Varicella Zoster Virus after vaccination for SARS-CoV-2. Vaccines 2021;9:572.

18. Maia CMF, Marques NP, de Lucena EHG, de Rezende LF, Martelli DRB, Martelli-J?nior H. Increased number of Herpes Zoster cases in Brazil related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Int J Infect Dis 2021;104:732–733.

19. Tsatsos M, MacGregor C, Athanasiadis I, Moschos MM, Hossain P, Anderson D. Herpes simplex virus keratitis: an update of the pathogenesis and current treatment with oral and topical antiviral agents. Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2016;44:824–837.

20. Tsatsos M, MacGregor C, Athanasiadis I, Moschos MM, Jameel S, Hossain P et al. Herpes simplex virus keratitis: an update of the pathogenesis and current treatment with oral and topical antiviral agents - comment. Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2017;45:932.