Routine varicella vaccination lowers pediatric herpes zoster incidence

Using combined data from 6 integrated healthcare organizations from 2003 through 2014, researchers found a decline in pediatric herpes zoster incidence and a significantly lower incidence among vaccinated children, according to study results published in Pediatrics. Electronic health records for children aged ≤17 years were used to identify cases of herpes zoster and to calculate zoster incidence rates per 100,000 person-years of health plan membership for all children and among those who were vaccinated compared with those who were unvaccinated. More than 6 million children with ≥1 month of health plan membership were included. The crude herpes zoster incidence rate over 12 years for all subjects was 74 per 100,000 person-years. The rate among children who received a varicella vaccine was 38 per 100,000 person-years, which was 78% lower compared with children who were unvaccinated (170 per 100,000 person-years; P <.0001). Of note, the herpes zoster incidence rate was 5- to 6-times...