Incidence of herpes zoster among varicella-vaccinated children, by number of vaccine doses and simultaneous administration of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine

Sheila Weinmann; Stephanie A Irving; Padma Koppolu; Allison L Naleway; Edward A Belongia; Simon J Hambidge; Michael L Jackson; Nicola P Klein; Bruno Lewin; Elizabeth Liles; Mona Marin; Ning Smith; Eric Weintraub; Colleen Chun

doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.05.006

Incidence of herpes zoster among varicella-vaccinated children, by number of vaccine doses and simultaneous administration of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine

Vaccine. 2020 Aug 18;38(37):5880-5884. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.05.006. Epub 2020 May 20.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, 3800 North Interstate Avenue, Portland, OR 97227, USA. Electronic address: Sheila.Weinmann@kpchr.org.
² Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, 3800 North Interstate Avenue, Portland, OR 97227, USA.
³ Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Population Health, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, 1000 North Oak Avenue (ML2), Marshfield, WI 54449, USA.
⁴ Denver Community Health Services, Denver Health, Mailcode 0278, 777 Bannock Street, Denver, CO 80204, USA; Institute for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Colorado, 2550 South Parker Road, Suite 200, Denver, CO 80014, USA.
⁵ Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, 1730 Minor Avenue, Suite 1600, Seattle, WA 98101, USA.
⁶ Vaccine Study Center, Division of Research, Northern California Kaiser Permanente, 1 Kaiser Plaza, 16th Floor, Oakland, CA 94612, USA.
⁷ Department of Research and Evaluation, Southern California Kaiser Permanente, 100 S Los Robles Avenue, Second Floor, Pasadena, CA 91101, USA.
⁸ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS V18-4, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.

PMID: 32444193
DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.05.006

Abstract

Introduction: Children may receive measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) and varicella (VAR) vaccines separately or as measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV). We examined whether pediatric herpes zoster (HZ) incidence varied by pattern of varicella vaccine administration.

Methods: In six integrated health systems, we examined HZ incidence among children turning 12 months old during 2003-2008. All received varicella and MMR vaccines on recommended schedules. Cases were identified through 2014 using ICD-9 codes. Incidence was examined by number of varicella vaccine doses and same-day MMR.

Results: Among 199,797 children, overall HZ incidence was 18.6/100,000 person-years in the first-dose MMR + VAR group, 17.9/100,000 person-years in the MMRV group, and 7.5/100,000 person-years in the VAR-alone group. HZ incidence was lower following the second dose than before the second dose in all first-dose groups.

Conclusions: HZ incidence was not meaningfully different between the MMRV and MMR + VAR first-dose groups. Overall and within first-dose groups, HZ incidence was lower among children receiving two varicella vaccine doses.

Keywords: Herpes zoster; Incidence; Pediatric; Varicella vaccine; Varicella zoster virus.

Publication types

Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Antibodies, Viral
Chickenpox Vaccine
Chickenpox* / epidemiology
Chickenpox* / prevention & control
Herpes Zoster* / epidemiology
Herpes Zoster* / prevention & control
Humans
Incidence
Infant
Measles*
Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine
Mumps* / epidemiology
Mumps* / prevention & control
Vaccines, Combined

Substances

Antibodies, Viral
Chickenpox Vaccine
Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine
Vaccines, Combined