Risk of Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus Recurrence After Recombinant Zoster Vaccination.

Importance: The recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) is currently recommended for immunocompetent adults aged 50 years or older and immunocompromised adults aged 19 years or older and is effective in preventing herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO). However, questions about the safety of RZV in patients with a history of HZO remain. Objective: To evaluate whether there is an increased risk of HZO recurrence after RZV in patients with a history of HZO. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study used medical and outpatient pharmacy claims data for commercial and Medicare Advantage enrollees from the Optum Labs Data Warehouse. Patients with incident HZO from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2021, were identified; the study period ended on March 31, 2022. The vaccinated group consisted of patients with at least 1 dose of RZV more than 90 days following the initial HZO diagnosis. The unvaccinated group consisted of patients without any record of RZV in the study period. Vaccinated and unvaccinated patients were matched using exact k:1 matching without replacement. Exposure: Recombinant zoster vaccination. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcome was the number of HZO recurrences with and without RZV exposure. Results: A total of 16 408 patients were included in the matched analysis, of whom 12 762 were unvaccinated (7806 [61.2%] female; mean [SD] age at diagnosis, 68.8 [10.3] years) and 3646 were vaccinated (2268 [62.2%] female; mean [SD] age at diagnosis, 67.4 [9.8] years). Within the primary risk period of 56 days after the index date (ie, the start of follow-up for the outcome), the incidence of HZO recurrence after any RZV exposure was 37.7 per 1000 person-years compared with 26.2 per 1000 person-years in the unexposed group. After controlling for race and ethnicity, inpatient stays, emergency department visits, concomitant vaccines, and eye care practitioner visits, the association between vaccination status and HZO exacerbation in the primary risk period had an adjusted hazard ratio for any RZV exposure of 1.64 (95% CI, 1.01-2.67; P = .04). Conclusions and Relevance: In this study, RZV exposure was associated with a higher likelihood of HZO recurrence in patients with a history of HZO compared with no RZV exposure. These findings support consideration that patients with a history of HZO may benefit from monitoring after receiving RZV in case of HZO recurrence.

The association of stroke with herpes zoster ophthalmicus.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Studies have reported an association between herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) and stroke. We sought to validate this association with rigorous controls for both medical comorbidities and social factors using a nationwide U.S. administrative medical claims database. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A two-step approach was taken: first a retrospective case-control study was performed, followed by a self-controlled case series (SCCS). For the case control study, cox proportional hazard regression with inverse proportional treatment weighting assessed the hazard for stroke. In the SCCS, incidence of stroke was compared prior to and after the diagnosis of HZO. RESULTS: For the case-control study, 25,720 cases and 75,924 controls met our eligibility criteria. 1712 (6.7%) and 4544 (6.0%) strokes occurred in the case and control groups respectively, conferring an 18% increased risk of stroke in the observed 1-year post-HZO period (HR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.12-1.25, p < 0.001). SCCS analysis showed the risk for stroke was highest in the month immediately after HZO episode compared to any other time range (1-30 days after, relative risk 1.58, p < 0.001) and even higher when assessing time more distal time points prior to the HZO diagnosis (days 1-30 after HZO diagnosis had RR = 1.69 (95% CI: 1.38-2.07) and RR = 1.93 (95% CI: 1.55-2.39) compared with days -120 to -91 and -150 to -121 prior to index, respectively (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: After accounting for stroke risk factors, our analysis confirms the association between HZO and stroke, with highest risk in the immediate month after an episode.

Increasing hospitalisation of patients with herpes zoster ophthalmicus-an interdisciplinary retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: The occurrence of herpes zoster is rising globally. Future trends will be influenced by changes in population demographics and the growing number of patients at risk. Overall this poses a challenge for healthcare systems. METHODS: In our interdisciplinary, single-centre retrospective analysis, we aimed to assess the burden of the disease within the Department of Dermatology and the Eye Centre from the Medical Centre, University of Freiburg from 2009-2022. We obtained data from 3034 cases coded using the ICD-10 B02.x. Patients were characterised by sex, age, year of treatment, and type of treatment (inpatient vs. outpatient). RESULTS: Overall we observed a 200% increase in the number of herpes zoster patients over the 13-year period. Upon closer analysis, this was mainly due to a rise in inpatient treatment for herpes zoster ophthalmicus. CONCLUSIONS: If the incidence of herpes zoster ophthalmicus continues to increase at the current rate the number of hospitalisations of zoster ophthalmicus would double by 2040, assuming guideline-appropriate treatment. Overall, the results show a growing need for inpatient ophthalmological care.

Practice Patterns in the Initial Management of Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus in the United States.

PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to examine the trends in the initial management of herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) in the United States from 2010 to 2018 and compare them with the treatment preferences of corneal specialists. METHODS: A retrospective, observational deidentified cohort study was conducted on individuals enrolled in the OptumLabs Data Warehouse who had a new diagnosis of HZO from 1/1/2010 to 12/31/2018. An online survey ascertaining HZO management perspectives was distributed to The Cornea Society listserv. The main outcome assessed was proportion of cases with systemic antiviral prescriptions, eye care provider involvement, and follow-up visits after the initial HZO diagnosis. RESULTS: Approximately 50% of patients received systemic antivirals the day of initial HZO diagnosis or within 7 days (45.6% and 53.7%, respectively). Most initial diagnoses were made by ophthalmologists (45.0%), followed by optometrists (19.2%). Referral rate to ophthalmology within a year of initial diagnosis was 38.6%. 48.7% cases had at least 1 follow-up visit with any type of provider within 30 days. Our survey of corneal specialists found 97% would prescribe systemic antivirals to those with ocular involvement, but 66% would prescribe antivirals to those without ocular or eyelid involvement. Seventy percent supported all patients having follow-up with an eye care provider within a month. CONCLUSIONS: HZO antiviral therapies seem to be underprescribed in the United States, referral rates to ophthalmology are low, and follow-up is suboptimal, which are not aligned with recommendations from corneal specialists. More research is needed to establish standardized guidelines for treatment, referral, and follow-up with ophthalmology for HZO.

Clinical Factors Associated with the Early Reduction of Corneal Sensitivity in Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus.

PURPOSE: To identify clinical factors associated with the early reduction of corneal sensitivity (CS) in patients with herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO). METHODS: Total 30 subjects were divided into two groups according to the occurrence of an early reduction of CS (group 1, normal CS; group 2, decreased CS). The demographics, ocular manifestations of HZO, and the ocular surface parameters were compared between two groups. Then, the relative risks of variables were analyzed to expect the early decrease of CS by HZO using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Among total 30 subjects, the CS decreased in 10 subjects (3.2 ± 1.4 cm, group 2) and the other 20 subjects revealed normal CS (6.0 ± 0.0 cm, group 1). The age was higher in the group 2 (67.0 ± 16.6 years) than in group 1 (48.0 ± 17.6 years, p = 0.013), but sex and the comorbidity of diabetes mellitus was not difference between groups. The presence of corneal punctate epithelial erosions was a single factor among the ocular manifestations of HZO, which discriminated group 1 (5%) and group 2 (60%, p = 0.002). The ocular surface staining scores (i.e., National Eye Institute scores and Sjögren's International Collaborative Clinical Alliance ocular surface score) were higher in group 2 (p = 0.001 and p = 0.021, respectively) than in group 1. The existence of corneal punctate epithelial erosions revealed as a sole risk factor for the early reduction of CS (odds ratio = 33.085; p = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to pay attention to the possible occurrence of neurotrophic keratopathy especially in older patients with HZO showing an initial presence of corneal punctate epithelial erosions.

Comparison of Comorbid Associations and Ocular Complications in Herpes Simplex and Zoster Keratitis.

A retrospective chart review examined adult patients with herpes simplex (HSV) and zoster (HZO) keratitis at a single institution. Patients who suffered a poor outcome (defined as visually significant corneal scarring, neurotrophic keratitis, secondary glaucoma, or requiring corneal surgery) were identified and each outcome type was analyzed in relation to age, sex, diabetes mellitus, immunosuppression, and a prior history of ≥2 ocular procedures.Advanced age, diabetes mellitus, and a prior history of ≥2 ocular procedures may be risk factors for poor outcomes in HSV, but not HZO, keratitis. In HSV, older age and DM were specifically associated with visually significant corneal scarring, while older age and male sex were associated with secondary glaucoma. Future prospective studies are warranted to determine the ideal management (including prophylaxis) in patients with these characteristics.

Colombian Ocular Infectious Epidemiology Study (COIES): Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus prevalence and sociodemographic characterization, 2015-2019.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus (HZO) and describe the sociodemographic disease distribution by age, sex, and region in Colombia using National Health Registry data between January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2019. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study using the Integrated Social Protection Information System database from the Colombian Ministry of Health, the unique official database in the country. We used the specific code of the International Classification of Diseases for HZO (B02.3) from 2015-2019 to estimate the prevalence and the demographic status of the disease in Colombia. RESULTS: The average prevalence was 0.99 in 100,000 inhabitants. Females represented 54.44% of the cases from 2,378 included patients. The distribution by age has a continual increase from the quinquennial group of 55 years. The geographic analysis shows a higher disease burden in the Andean region, followed by the Caribbean and Pacific regions. CONCLUSION: This is the first study that determines the HZO epidemiological characteristics based on a National Health database in our region. We found an age distribution similar to previous studies and suggest that higher altitudes correlate with a higher burden of the disease.

Chronic and Recurrent Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus.

Background and Objectives: This study sought to investigate the natural course, the chronicity and recurrence rate, and the risk factors of chronic and recurrent herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO). We also evaluated the effects of long-term treatment for HZO. Materials and Methods: Patients diagnosed and treated for HZO were included in the retrospective medical chart review. Multivariable-adjusted logistic and Cox regression models were used to show risk factors for chronic and recurrent HZO along with hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Among a total 130 of HZO patients, 31 patients (23.85%) had chronic disease and 19 patients (14.62%) had recurrent disease. The rate of chronic disease was higher in HZO with conjunctivitis, epithelial keratitis, and stromal keratitis. The recurrence rate increased in patients with chronic HZO (HR: 34.4, 95% CI: 3.6-324.6), epithelial keratitis (HR: 5.5, 95% CI: 1.3-30.0), stromal keratitis (HR: 18.8, 95% CI: 3.0-120.8), and increased intraocular pressure (IOP) (HR: 7.3, 95% CI: 1.6-33.2). Length of systemic antiviral therapy and anti-inflammatory eyedrop treatment were not associated with recurrent HZO (p = 0.847 and p = 0.660, respectively). The most common ocular manifestation for recurrent HZO was stromal keratitis. Conclusions: This study demonstrated a considerable frequency of chronic and recurrent HZO. Chronic HZO in the form of epithelial or stromal keratitis with increased IOP provoked a significant rise in the risk of recurrence.

Herpes Zoster: A Brief Definitive Review.

ABSTRACT: This brief definitive review of herpes zoster (HZ) will cover the current state of knowledge and questions that remain to be answered regarding HZ in general and HZ ophthalmicus in particular. A question-and-answer format will be used to address various important topics related to this common and serious disease. Questions to be addressed relate to common misconceptions, contagiousness of infection, unknowns regarding pathogenesis, rising incidence, risk factors and complications, relationship with temporal arteritis, vaccination, and current and future antiviral treatment. In addition, the importance of the Zoster Eye Disease Study to determine the efficacy of suppressive valacyclovir treatment in preventing complications of HZ ophthalmicus and the need to support enrollment will be discussed.

Effectiveness of the Recombinant Zoster Vaccine for Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus in the United States.

PURPOSE: To examine the effectiveness of the recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) for preventing herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) in the general United States population. DESIGN: Retrospective, observational cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals enrolled in the OptumLabs Data Warehouse (OLDW; OptumLabs, Cambridge, MA) who were age eligible for herpes zoster (HZ) vaccination (≥50 years of age) from 2018 through 2019. The OLDW is a longitudinal, de-identified administrative claims and electronic health record database of patients in the United States with commercial insurance, Medicare Part D, or Medicare Advantage METHODS: Patients were required to have 365 days or more of continuous enrollment to be eligible. Those with a diagnosis code of HZ or an immunocompromising condition within 1 year before study inclusion were excluded. Vaccination with the RZV was ascertained by Current Procedural Terminology codes, and HZO was ascertained by International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, codes. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the hazard ratio of HZO associated with RZV, and inverse-probability weighting was used to control for confounding. Vaccine effectiveness was calculated from hazard ratios. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence of HZO in vaccinated versus unvaccinated person-times and vaccine effectiveness were assessed. RESULTS: From January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2019, a total of 4 842 579 individuals were included in this study. One hundred seventy-seven thousand two hundred eighty-nine (3.7%) received 2 valid doses of RZV. The incidence rate of HZO was 25.5 cases (95% confidence interval [CI], 17.4-35.8 cases) per 100 000 person-years in the vaccinated group compared with 76.7 cases (95% CI, 74.7-78.7 cases) in the unvaccinated group. The overall adjusted effectiveness of RZV against HZO was 89.1% (95% CI, 82.9%-93.0%). CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness of RZV against HZO in individuals 50 years of age and older is high in a clinical setting. However, the low vaccination rate in this study highlights the public health need to increase HZV use. Ophthalmologists can play an important role in recommending vaccination to eligible patients.

Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus Clinical Presentation and Risk Factors for Loss of Vision.

PURPOSE: To determine the rate of moderate and severe vision loss following herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) and to identify associated factors. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. METHODS: All subjects with acute HZO seen at a single center from 2006 to 2016 were included in the study. The primary outcome measure was the proportion of individuals with moderate and/or severe loss of vision following an acute episode of HZO. Secondary outcome measures included causes and factors associated with permanent loss of vision owing to HZO. RESULTS: A total of 869 patients with acute HZO were identified with a median follow-up time of 6.3 years (interquartile range 3.7-8.9 years). Ocular involvement of HZO was diagnosed at or within the first month of presentation in 737 individuals (84.8%). The most common sites of ocular involvement were conjunctivitis (76.1%), followed by keratitis (51.2%) and uveitis (47.6%). Moderate vision loss (≤20/50) secondary to HZO occurred in 83 eyes (9.6%) while severe vision loss (≤20/200) occurred in 31 eyes (3.6%). Causes of loss of vision included corneal scarring (94.0%), corneal perforation (4.8%), and secondary glaucoma (1.2%). Severe vision loss was associated with older age (hazard ratio [HR] 1.059, P = .001), immunosuppression (HR 3.125, P = .028), poor presenting visual acuity (HR 2.821, P = .002), and uveitis (HR 4.777, P = .004) on multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Among individuals with HZO, approximately 1 in 10 individuals may develop moderate or severe vision loss, primarily owing to corneal scarring. Older age, immunosuppression, and uveitis are associated with severe permanent loss of vision secondary to HZO.

[Ocular manifestations of viral diseases]. / Atteintes ophtalmologiques des infections virales.

Viral infections may involve all ocular tissues and may have short and long-term sight-threatening consequences. Among them, ocular infections caused by herpesviruses are the most frequent. HSV-1 keratitis and kerato-uveitis affect approximately are the leading cause of infectious blindness in the Western world, mainly because of corneal opacification caused by recurrences. For this reason, they may warrant long-term antiviral prophylaxis. Herpes zoster ophthalmicus, accounts for 10 to 20% of all shingles locations and can be associated with severe ocular involvement (keratitis, kerato-uveitis) of which a quarter becomes chronic/recurrent. Post herpetic neuralgias in the trigeminal territory can be particularly debilitating. Necrotizing retinitis caused by herpesviruses (HSV, VZV, CMV) are seldom, but must be considered as absolute visual emergencies, requiring urgent intravenous and intravitreal antiviral treatment. Clinical pictures depend on the immune status of the host. Adenovirus are the most frequent cause of infectious conjunctivitis. These most often benign infections are highly contagious and may be complicated by visually disabling corneal lesions that may last over months or years. Some arboviruses may be associated with inflammatory ocular manifestations. Among them, congenital Zika infections may cause macular or optic atrophy. Conjunctivitis is frequent during the acute phase of Ebola virus disease. Up to 15% of survivors present with severe chronic inflammatory ocular conditions caused by viral persistence in uveal tissues. Finally, COVID-19-associated conjunctivitis can precede systemic disease, or even be the unique manifestation of the disease. Utmost caution must be taken because of viral shedding in tears.

Study of ocular manifestations in tuberculosis and its association with HIV AIDS in a tertiary care hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To assess and understand the prevalence and clinical presentation of ocular morbidity in patients suffering from tuberculosis and compare it with ocular involvement in patients coinfected with tuberculosis and HIV AIDS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a non-comparative, observational, cross sectional study done on 580 patients, who were diagnosed cases of tuberculosis, pulmonary or extrapulmonary, on or off treatment, visiting the Ophthalmology OPD, Tuberculosis OPD and ART Centre of the institute in the period from March 2015 to March 2018, screened for ocular morbidity. RESULTS: Out of 580, 408 patients had only tuberculosis and 172 had tuberculosis with HIV AIDS. 108 patients were found to have ocular involvement (18.6%) out of which 63 were males and 45 were females. The prevalence of ocular morbidity in patients with only tuberculosis was found to be 16.4% and in those having both tuberculosis and HIV AIDS was found to be 23.8%. CONCLUSION: Our study concludes that posterior uveitis, pan uveitis, periphlebitis and vitritis are the most common ocular manifestations in tuberculosis. In patients with both tuberculosis and HIV most common ocular findings included vitritis and herpes zoster ophthalmicus. Our study also concludes that lower CD4 counts (less than 200) in HIV AIDS patient is significantly associated with ocular involvement.

Enrollment in the Zoster Eye Disease Study.

PURPOSE: To present the results of a survey of the Zoster Eye Disease Study (ZEDS) investigators regarding barriers to the enrollment of study participants and approaches to overcome them. METHODS: ZEDS is a multicenter randomized clinical trial supported by the National Eye Institute to determine whether prolonged suppressive valacyclovir reduces the complications of herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO), relative to placebo. Enrollment of study participants is currently far below expectations. An institutional review board-approved anonymous internet survey was conducted of ZEDS investigators to study their experiences and opinions regarding barriers to enrollment and various approaches to overcome them. RESULTS: The overall survey response rate was 54% (79/145). Only 29% (23/79) agreed that it is easy to enroll study participants. Regarding patient barriers, 69% (55/79) agreed that HZO patients want to be treated with antiviral medication and 69% (54/78) agreed that HZO patients on antivirals do not want to be randomized. Regarding personal barriers facing investigators, 91% (72/79) agreed that antivirals are effective and 100% that the research questions ZEDS is designed to answer are very important. Fewer than 30% of respondents believed that steps taken to increase enrollment have been very helpful. Over half (54%, 42/78) believed that advertising on social media would be moderately or very effective. CONCLUSIONS: Belief among ZEDS investigators that antivirals are effective, and the preference of patients to be treated with antivirals rather than be randomized in ZEDS, are major barriers to enrollment. New approaches to overcoming barriers are necessary to develop an evidence-based standard of care for treatment of HZO.

Seasonality of herpes zoster and herpes zoster ophthalmicus.

BACKGROUND: Herpes zoster (HZ) and herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) are common and debilitating diseases. There is no consensus in the literature whether HZ and HZO exhibit seasonal patterns. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether HZ and HZO are seasonal. STUDY DESIGN: All patients in the OptumLabs® Data Warehouse (OLDW), a longitudinal, insurance claims database with de-identified lives between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2017 with 365 days or more of continuous enrollment were considered in the study. The database was queried for patients reporting a new ICD-9/ICD-10 code for HZ or HZO and monthly counts of each administrative code were modeled using Morelet wavelets and analyzed for annual periodicity using Fisher's g test. RESULTS: There were a total of 513,911 new cases of HZ during this time period; 40,166 cases (7.8 %) were reported as HZO. Administrative coding for new cases of HZ exhibited annual periodicity (P < .001) with a peak in the summer. No periodicity was evident for HZO. CONCLUSIONS: These results contribute to a growing body of evidence suggesting that HZ may be seasonal and help characterize the epidemiology of this common, painful disease.

Incidence Rate of Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus: A Retrospective Cohort Study from 1994 through 2018.

PURPOSE: To analyze the incidence rate (IR) of herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) and differences by age, gender, race, and region from 1994 through 2018. DESIGN: Retrospective, observational cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with a new International Classification of Diseases, Ninth or Tenth Edition, codes for herpes zoster (HZ) and HZO from January 1, 1994, through December 31, 2018, in the OptumLabs Data Warehouse (OptumLabs, Cambridge, MA). METHODS: OptumLabs Data Warehouse, a longitudinal, real-world data asset with de-identified administrative claims and electronic health record data, was used to identify enrollees with continuous enrollment in the database for 365 days or more. Patients with no history of HZ or HZO and a new code for HZ and HZO were counted as incident cases. The IR of HZO was calculated by year, 10-year age groups, gender, race, and region. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Differences in IR from 1994 through 2018 by 10-year age groups and gender. RESULTS: From 1994 through 2018, 633 474 cases of HZ were reported, with 49 745 (7.9%) having HZO. The incidence of HZO increased from 1994 through 2018 by an estimated 1.1 cases per 100 000 person-years annually (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0-1.3; P < 0.001). The estimated relative increase was 3.6% annually (95% CI, 3.0%-4.1%). HZO IR increased in all ages over 10 years until 2007, then began declining in individuals younger than 21 and older than 60, stabilizing in individuals 21 to 30 years old, and increasing more slowly among individuals 31 to 60 years old. Men showed an HZO incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 0.74 compared with women. Compared with white patients, the IRRs were 0.70, 0.75, and 0.64 for Asians, black patients, and Hispanics, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of HZO has increased 3.6% per year from 1994 to 2018 in the United States. Since 2008, HZO incidence declined in individuals younger than 21 years and older than 60 years while increasing at a lower rate in middle-aged adults. Given the continued increase, greater efforts should be made to vaccinate eligible adults 50 years of age and older. More research on earlier vaccination is warranted.

Aggregate health and economic burden of herpes zoster in the United States: illustrative example of a pain condition.

Our objective was to develop comprehensive national estimates of the total burden of herpes zoster (HZ) among U.S. adults, including direct (ie, medical costs) and indirect (ie, productivity losses) costs, as well as its psychosocial impact (ie, quality of life losses). Using a patient-level microsimulation model, we projected health and economic outcomes among U.S. adults aged 18 years and older using a 10-year time horizon. We conducted a comprehensive systematic literature review to generate parameter values and conducted simulation modeling to generate our outcomes, including numbers of cases of uncomplicated HZ, postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), and ocular complications, productivity losses, and losses in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). We used a societal perspective for outcomes; the costing year was 2015. Projected outcomes for an unvaccinated population included 1.1 million HZ cases, 114,000 PHN cases, and 43,000 ocular complications annually, resulting in approximately 67,000 QALYs lost. HZ and its complications would incur costs of $2.4 billion in direct medical costs and productivity losses annually. Projected QALY losses were most sensitive to HZ and PHN health utility values in the model. Cost estimates were most sensitive to the probability of HZ and to the costs per episode of PHN. The national burden of direct, indirect, and psychosocial HZ costs is substantial. Our results can inform economic analyses for HZ vaccines. Comprehensive, national assessments of the total burden of other painful conditions would be very informative.

Epidémiologie et prise en charge du zona ophtalmique à l'Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées Omar Bongo Ondimba (HIA OBO), à Libreville, au Gabon

Introduction: Le virus de la varicelle et du zonaest à l'origine d'un large spectre d'atteintes systémiques et oculaires.Le but de ce travail est de montrer la place de l'ophtalmologiste dans la prise en charge du zona ophtalmique.Matériel et méthodes : Il s'agit d'une étude rétrospective menée dans le service d'Ophtalmologie de l'HIA OBO entre 2016 et 2018, sur une série de patients, pris en charge pour zona ophtalmique.Résultats: Nous avons recruté 8 patients, dont 6 femmes.L'âge moyen était de 42,5 ans. Quatre patients étaient VIH (+). Tous nos patients avaient une cellulite orbitaire. La motilité oculaire était conservée chez tous les patients.L'acuité visuelle était basse chez la plupart. L'examen à la lampe à fente retrouvait une hyperhémie conjonctivale, un chémosis et une atteinte cornéenne. Tous nos patients ont bénéficié d'une bi-antibiothérapie, des antalgiques et des anti-viraux. L'évolution était marquée par la régression de la cellulite orbitaire, la cicatrisation cutanée, la récupération visuelle.Conclusion: Le zona ophtalmique est plus fréquent chez les sujets atteints de VIH, par rapport à la population générale. Correctement pris en charge, son évolution est favorable. Par contre, en l'absence de traitement antiviral, il s'accompagne de complications oculaires dans 50 à 70 % des cas

Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus Review and Prevention.

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is the etiologic agent of both chickenpox and Herpes zoster (HZ). In the United States, there are around one million cases of HZ per year. Ten percent of HZ cases are subtyped as herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) specifically and involve the V1 distribution. Herpes zoster ophthalmicus is a significant cause of blindness in the United States. This article will provide a basic overview of VZV, HZ, and HZO with a focus on preventative measures in an effort to prevent blindness through improving clinician awareness and education. The differences in clinical effectiveness and duration of effectiveness of the live (Zostavax) and recombinant vaccines (Shingrix) are illustrated. There is now a trend toward using the recombinant vaccine as recommended by the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) for healthy adults 50 or older.