Ocular Microbiology and Immunology Group
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2012 OMIG Abstract 7

Age-Specific Trends in Herpes Zoster and Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus in a Massachusetts Medical Center 1993-2011
C. Mackel¹, T. Logvinenko², S.H. Soukiasian^1
1Department of Ophthalmology, Lahey Clinic, Burlington, MA; ²Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA

Purpose: To assess the impact of the varicella vaccine introduced in the United States in 1995 and the shingles vaccine in 2006 on the incidence rates of herpes zoster (HZ) and herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO).

Methods: A retrospective review of the administrative database of the Lahey Clinic for HZ and HZO ICD-9 codes from fiscal years 1993-2011. Logistic regression was used to calculate changes in HZ and HZO incidence rates across the years, stratified by age in 10 year intervals.

Results: Age-specific rates of HZ demonstrated significant increases beginning 1999-2002. By 2006, rates of HZ had risen significantly (50-127%) among age groups ≥20 compared to the pre-varicella vaccine era (1993-1995). Rates of HZ remained elevated in 2011 among age groups 20-29, 40-49, 50-59, and ≥80 relative to their pre-varicella vaccine cohorts. Among persons 60-69 and 70-79, HZ rates declined significantly (23 and 19%) from 2006 to 2011. HZO rates increased across all age groups from 1993-2011 (187%, p < 0.001) with significant changes observed in 1995 and 2004-2011.

Conclusions: The overall incidence of HZ remained relatively stable across age groups into the early post-varicella vaccination period. The varicella vaccine may have contributed to rising HZ and HZO incidence in the early-mid 2000s. The recent decrease in HZ incidence among persons 60-79 years old may be related to the shingles vaccine.

Disclosure: N

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