You are now leaving GSK’s website and are going to a website that is not operated/controlled by GSK. Though we feel it could be useful to you,we are not responsible for the content/service or availability of linked sites. You are therefore mindful of these risks and have decided to go ahead.
Agree Agree Agree Stay
Autoimmune diseases and shingles (herpes zoster) are two serious health concerns that can intersect.1
These conditions can have a profound impact on individuals' lives. For instance, for individuals dealing with autoimmune diseases, experiencing herpes zoster (HZ) increases their risk of having a stroke by up to two times within a few subsequent months.2
Understanding the connection between autoimmune diseases and shingles is crucial for managing these conditions effectively.
This blog post delves into autoimmune diseases and shingles, examining the effects of autoimmune disorders on the immune system, the increased risk of shingles for those with an autoimmune disease, and the impact of shingles on individuals already battling autoimmune diseases.
A healthy immune system protects the body from illnesses. But sometimes, the immune system malfunctions and starts attacking healthy body parts like cells, tissues, and organs by mistake. This is called an autoimmune disease, which can weaken the body and even put life in danger.3
Scientists have identified over 80 autoimmune diseases.4 The following list of autoimmune disease includes some of the well-known ones.
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by high blood glucose levels when the pancreas can't produce insulin, a key hormone that lets cells use glucose for energy. Inadequate insulin leads to elevated blood glucose, causing serious heart, eye, kidney, nerve, and oral issues.5
This is a nervous system disorder affecting the brain and spinal cord. It damages the protective myelin sheath surrounding nerve cells, impeding, or blocking communication between the brain and other body regions. This disruption leads to the various symptoms associated with MS.5
This is one of the many inflammatory diseases. It involves autoimmune-induced inflammation, causing pain, swelling, stiffness, and diminished joint function. While RA can impact any joint, it is particularly common in the wrists and fingers.5
A common type of lupus, it prompts the immune system to erroneously attack healthy tissues, causing harm to joints, skin, vessels, and organs. Lupus appears in various forms, such as5:
• Discoid lupus, causing lasting rashes
• Subacute cutaneous lupus, resulting in sun-triggered sores
• Medication-induced lupus
• Rare neonatal lupus, affecting infants
For the less common ones, patients might endure years without a correct diagnosis. Unfortunately, most of these diseases cannot be cured and many need ongoing treatment to help manage their symptoms.3
As mentioned above, when the immune system attacks healthy cells by mistake, it is known as an autoimmune disease. This behaviour of the immune system weakens bodily function.3
Due to this impaired immune response and weakened defence mechanisms, autoimmune diseases can increase the risk of shingles.1
The risk of Shingles (Herpes Zoster) is 2 to 4-fold higher in patients with autoimmune and/or inflammatory conditions as compared to healthy individuals.6
People with compromised or suppressed immune systems are more susceptible to developing a severe, long-lasting rash and experiencing heightened complications from herpes zoster.7
Shingles is an infection characterized by a painful skin rash accompanied by blisters. Varicella-zoster virus is what causes shingles. It is the same virus responsible for chickenpox. Following a previous spell of chickenpox, the virus remains inactive within the body and can resurface later in life, manifesting as shingles.7
A compromised immune system elevates the susceptibility to shingles, making it more prevalent among older adults. The likelihood of shingles occurrence rises with advancing age.8
Based on a seroprevalence study in Indian subjects, over 90% of individuals had the varicella-zoster virus in their bodies by age 50, rendering them susceptible to shingles.9,10
Shingles Symptoms
Before the rash shows up, people might feel pain, itching, or tingling in the area where it will appear. Some individuals might also get a fever before the rash shows up.11
Common symptoms11:
• The rash, often painful and itchy, consists of blisters that typically form scabs within 7 to 10 days and eventually heal entirely in 2 to 4 weeks.
• This rash usually appears as a single stripe on either the left or right side of the body.
• Shingles rash can also emerge on one side of the face, potentially impacting the eye and leading to vision problems.
Other symptoms may include11:
• Headache
• Chills
• Upset stomach
Shingles Prevention
Vaccination can help prevent shingles. It is advised for individuals aged 50 or older.12,13
Disclaimer: A public awareness initiative by GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Limited, Dr. Annie Besant Road, Worli, Mumbai 400 030, India. Information appearing in this material is for general awareness only. Nothing contained in this material constitutes medical advice. Please consult your doctor for medical advice or any question or concern you may have regarding your condition. Please consult your doctor for the complete list of vaccine-preventable diseases and the complete vaccination schedule for each disease.All scientific information is validated, for details write to us on askus@gsk.com.
CL Code: NP-IN-HZU-WCNT-230019 DoP Sep 2023
References:
1. Marra F, Lo E, Kalashnikov V, Richardson K. Risk of Herpes Zoster in Individuals on Biologics, Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs, and/or Corticosteroids for Autoimmune Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2016 Sep 28;3(4):ofw205
2. Calabrese LH, Xie F, Yun H, Winthrop KL, Baddley JW, Calabrese C, Curtis JR. Herpes Zoster and the Risk of Stroke in Patients With Autoimmune Diseases. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2017 Feb;69(2):439-446.
3. Autoimmune diseases [Internet]. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. [cited 2023 Sep 12]. [Accessed 2023 Sept 12] Available at: https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/conditions/autoimmune/index.cfm
4. Autoimmune Diseases [Internet]. Nih.gov. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; [cited 2023 Sep 12]. [Accessed 2023 Sept 12] Available at: https://www.niaid.nih.gov/diseases-conditions/autoimmune-diseases
5. Autoimmune disease-specific research [Internet]. Nih.gov. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; [cited 2023 Sep 12]. [Accessed 2023 Sept 12] Available at: https://www.niaid.nih.gov/diseases-conditions/autoimmune-disease-research
6. Dooling KL, Guo A, Patel M, Lee GM, Moore K, Belongia EA, et al. Recommendations of the advisory committee on immunization practices for use of herpes zoster vaccines. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep [Internet]. 2018;67(3):103–8. [Accessed 2023 Sept 12] Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/meetings/downloads/slides-2021-06/02-Zoster-Anderson-508.pdf
7. Clinical overview [Internet]. Cdc.gov. 2023 [cited 2023 Sep 12]. [Accessed 2023 Sept 12] Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/shingles/hcp/clinical-overview.html
8. Five things you should know about shingles [Internet]. Cdc.gov. 2023 [cited 2023 Sep 12]. [Accessed 2023 Sept 12] Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/shingles/5-things-you-should-know.html
9. Lokeshwar MR, Agrawal A, Subbarao SD, Chakraborty MS, Ram Prasad AV, Weil J, Bock HL, Kanwal S, Shah RC, Shah N. Age related seroprevalence of antibodies to varicella in India. Indian Pediatr. 2000 Jul;37(7):714-9.
10. GSK launches Shingrix in India- A vaccine for the prevention of shingles in adults aged 50 years and above [Internet]. Gsk.com. 2023 [cited 2023 Sep 12]. [Accessed 2023 Sept 12] Available at: https://india-pharma.gsk.com/en-in/media/press-releases/gsk-launches-shingrix-in-india-a-vaccine-for-the-prevention-of-shingles-in-adults-aged-50-years-and-above/
11. Signs and symptoms [Internet]. Cdc.gov. 2023 [cited 2023 Sep 12]. [Accessed 2023 Sept 12] Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/shingles/about/symptoms.html
12. CDC. Shingles vaccination [Internet]. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2023 [cited 2023 Sep 12]. [Accessed 2023 Sept 12] Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/shingles/public/shingrix/index.html
13. Adult immunization schedule – healthcare providers [Internet]. Cdc.gov. 2023 [cited 2023 Sep 12]. [Accessed 2023 Sept 12] Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/imz/adult.html
Create a personalised timeline to see if your child is missing vaccinations*
With MyVaccinationHub you can:
Digitize your children’s vaccination records
Spot any possible gaps in their protection
Track their vaccinations in real time
Get educated on vaccination
*According to [country recommendation source]
