Adult vaccination and shingles prevention in Vietnam

The event gathered leading experts in nephrology, respiratory, endocrinology, and rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). They discussed the immunosenescence and the burden of disease in the adult population, and the strategy for adult vaccination,

Leading experts discussed the immunosenescence, the burden of disease in the adult population, and the strategy for adult vaccination. Photo: Bich Thuy

On this occasion, the “Shingles Prevention with Vaccination” guidebook for healthcare professionals was launched, marking an important milestone in preventing shingles in adults over 50 years of age in Vietnam, particularly those with chronic diseases.

The guidebook brings together information on the pathology, complications, and epidemiology of shingles, while updating current preventive measures applicable in Vietnam. This is the result of close cooperation among leading medical experts from various medical associations and hospitals to systematise guidelines for unified shingles prevention.

Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Kinh, vice president of the Vietnam Medical Association, said, “Vaccination for shingles prevention is a medical solution that has been available since 2006. From 2017 until now, vaccination for shingles prevention has been used in over 50 countries such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Through this guide, we hope healthcare professionals will have a solid reference to advise and help patients prevent shingles, especially those with underlying health conditions.”

According to the Ministry of Health’s Preventive Medicine Department, Vietnam currently has around 22 million people aged 18-69 with chronic diseases, primarily non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cancer.

The “Shingles Prevention with Vaccination” guidebook for healthcare professionals was launched at the event. Photo: Bich Thuy

Research shows that one in three adults will develop shingles. Over 90 per cent of adults aged 50 and above harbour the latent VZV virus in their nervous system, raising the risk of developing shingles. Notably, postherpetic neuralgia can persist for more than three months. The disease can cause rare but serious complications such as vision loss (when shingles affects the eyes) and hearing loss. Studies have also shown an association of shingles with cardiovascular complications such as stroke.

Prof. Dr. Tran Huu Dang, president of the Vietnam Endocrinology and Diabetes Association, added, “Shingles is a dermatological condition with long-term and potentially serious impacts, especially for those with underlying conditions like diabetes. Shingles not only causes prolonged severe pain but has also been associated with disruption of blood sugar control, and can impact quality of life. Therefore, proactive prevention of shingles is crucial to protect health and limit complication risks in diabetic patients.”

Shingles, also known as herpes zoster (HZ), is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox. It is a common disease that can cause significant pain and can lead to serious and prolonged complications. Shingles patients often exhibit acute symptoms such as painful, itchy, or tingling blisters on one side of the body. The disease duration ranges from two to four weeks and can be very painful. Symptoms and complications of shingles can become severe and long-lasting, especially in older adults and immunocompromised individuals. Shingles also reduces the quality of life for patients and places an economic burden on the healthcare system and society.

According to experts, treating shingles and managing complications like postherpetic neuralgia is complex. Antiviral medications need to be initiated early within 72 hours; however, this is challenging in clinical practice. Furthermore, current treatments for shingles and postherpetic neuralgia are not entirely effective. Older adults often take multiple medications for underlying conditions and may not tolerate additional medications for acute shingles or chronic postherpetic neuralgia.

Besides preventive measures like exercising, not smoking, eating healthily, and screening for chronic diseases, vaccination plays an important role in enhancing adult health.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Xuyen, president of the Vietnam Medical Association, said, “Many infectious diseases can now be prevented with vaccines. This is considered a proactive and effective disease prevention measure with a favourable safety profile. Early prevention of infectious diseases helps to reduce the burden of disease and improve quality of life, while also alleviating the burden on the healthcare system. I hope this guidebook for shingles prevention will be a valuable tool for healthcare professionals to support their patients in preventing shingles.”

First international summit on shingles prevention held in Vietnam GSK organized a series of international scientific summits for healthcare professionals in emerging markets in three countries in October and November, including Colombia, Dubai (UAE) in October, and Vietnam in collaboration with Vietnam Medical Association in November.

Health Ministry urges quickening vaccination against COVID-19 Amidst the rapidly increasing number of new cases of COVID-19, the Health Ministry has urged continued efforts to accelerate vaccination against COVID-19, with priority given to groups of high risks of developing serious symptoms and even dying when contracting the virus.

Millions of children in Vietnam protected by vaccination over 40 years: UN agencies Millions of children in Vietnam have been protected by immunisation over the past 40 years, said the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF offices in Vietnam on April 25 when they mark the World Immunisation Week from April 24-30.