A More Effective Shingles Vaccine

Shingles is a condition characterized by an itchy, painful rash that can last for weeks. It's caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox in children. In adults who had chickenpox as children, the virus can re-emerge later in life, causing shingles. Nearly a third of all untreated adults over 50 are likely to develop shingles at some time in their life.

There has been a vaccine against shingles, called Zostavax, since 2006. However, Zostavax has proven to be only 51% effective in preventing shingles. Consequently, many people who were vaccinated with Zostavax still came down with shingles.

Now there's a new, improved vaccine against shingles, according to a press release from GlaxoSmithKline. Last month the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended the new vaccine, called Shingrix, even for adults who have already been vaccinated with Zostavax.

Shingrix is reported to be 97% effective; nearly twice as effective as Zostavax.  Shingrix may be better in another way, too. Whereas the older vaccine consisted of live but attenuated (weakened) viruses, Shingrix consists of just a subunit of the virus, making it much less likely that the body will have a negative reaction to it.