Shingles rates fall off a cliff among some Americans as researchers reveal likely reason
He noted that the vaccine uses a weakened form of the virus, which is much less likely to reactivate later in life and cause shingles.
There were some limitations of the study, including that the researchers did not determine whether individual patients had actually received the varicella vaccination during childhood.
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“This is a descriptive, observational study, so it shows associations rather than cause and effect,” Bartelt said.
Healthcare disruption due to the COVID pandemic in 2020-2021 could have also affected diagnosis rates and skewed the results, the researchers noted.
A doctor noted that while people who received the chickenpox vaccine have a lower risk of developing shingles, he still recommends that eligible people get the shingles vaccine to further reduce that risk. (iStock)
Future studies are needed to confirm a link between childhood vaccination histories and long-term shingles outcomes.
“People should continue to follow established vaccine recommendations and talk with their clinician about the shingles vaccine when they’re eligible,” Bartelt advised. “It’s also a reminder that shingles can occur in younger adults, so anyone with a painful, blistering rash should seek timely evaluation.”
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While people who received the chickenpox vaccine have a lower risk of developing shingles, Siegel said he still recommends that eligible people get the shingles vaccine to further reduce that risk.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends shingles vaccination for adults 50 and older, as well as certain immunocompromised adults 19 and older, including people who previously received the varicella vaccine.
Melissa Rudy is senior health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to melissa.rudy@fox.com.
Article source: https://www.foxnews.com/health/shingles-rates-fall-cliff-americans-researchers-reveal-likely-reason