VACCINE RESOURCE COMMITTEE

of the Edmonton Zone Medical Staff Association

View Full List of Vaccine Questions Here

Herpes zoster (shingles) Vaccine Question #3:

Is shingles common and who gets it?

One in three Canadians will have shingles. Anyone who has had chickenpox can get shingles.

Nearly 1 in 3 Canadians develops HZ in their lifetime. In recent studies, the lifetime risk of HZ has been estimated to be as high as 30% in the general population. In Canada, it is estimated that each year there are 130,000 new cases of HZ, 17,000 cases of PHN and 20 deaths. The incidence and severity of both Herpes Zoster (HZ) and Post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) increases sharply after 50 years.

Sources:

Government of Canada: Herpes zoster (shingles) vaccine: Canadian Immunization Guide