Shingrix: Shingles vaccine (inactivated Zoster vaccine)
Shingrix: Shingles vaccine is inactivated vaccine for singles caused by Zoster virus. Varicella zoster causes chickenpox and stays dormant in the neurons of person even after chickenpox is cured. It is reactivated when gets chance like in old age or in fevers when the immunity of the person is decreased. Shingles is a very painful condition causing post-herpetic neuralgia which may last for many months or even years. Sometimes it may affect your vision leading to blindness.
Shingrix vaccine contains glycoprotein E (gE) antigen of Zoster virus.
How is Shingrix: Shingles vaccine available?
Shingrix: Shingles vaccine is available in a packet that contains 2 vials. A vial contains a lyophilized freeze dried powder that contains inactivated antigen glycoprotein E (gE) of Zoster virus antigen. Other vial contains liquid adjuvant for injection for dilution. The vials should be stored in packet to protect it from light.
How is Shingrix: Shingles vaccine stored?
Shingrix: Shingles vaccine is stored at 2-8 degree Celsius. The temperature range maintained using cold chain. The temperature range should be maintained at all stages of the storage and transportation. The vaccine should not be used if frozen, should be discarded. The expired vaccine should not be used and discarded as per biomedical waste management protocol.
How is Shingrix: Shingles vaccine given?
Shingrix: Shingles vaccine is given by injection intramuscular route. All the safety injection protocol should be followed while giving injection. The adjuvant liquid for injection first sucked into the sterile syringe. It is mixed into the lyophilized powder and agitated gently to mix the contents uniform solution. This solution is again sucked back to the syringe. The needle is changed for intramuscular injection. The injection is given intramuscular in deltoid region. The spirit used to clean the skin should be totally evaporated before giving injection. The contact of sterilizers should be avoided while mixing the contents to the vial. The used disposables should be discarded as per biomedical waste management protocol guidelines.
At what age is Shingrix: Shingles vaccine is given?
Shingrix vaccine should be given at age above 50 years. It is given to all adults above age 50 years old. 2 doses are given 2-6 months apart.
It is given even if patient had chickenpox or not after age 50 years.
It is given even if zostavax vaccine was given previously. But the gap of 8 weeks should be there between last dose of zostavax and Shingrix.
What are side effects after Shingrix: Shingles vaccine?
Shingrix: Shingles vaccine is given to protect from Shingles disease. Side effects are very few and usually milder than the disease.
· Fever may occur in less than 5 percent of those get this vaccine. It can be mild to moderate grade and can be managed at home with oral medications paracetamol and sponging. It may last 1-3 days.
· Muscular pain and myalgias may occur for few days after vaccination. Myalgias usually subsides by its own.
· Headache, shivering and fatigue.
· GI side effects like nausea, diarrhea and loss of appetite.
· Injection site pain and swelling may occur.
· Like all other vaccines this vaccine can cause allergic reactions and anaphylaxis, the facility where the injection is given should be equipped with drugs and skilled personnel to manage the anaphylactic reaction.
How does Shingrix: Shingles vaccine work?
Shingrix: Shingles vaccine is inactivated vaccine. It is used to protect from Shingles disease. This vaccine contains glycoprotein E antigen of Varicella zoster virus. This is inactivated virus but not capacity to cause disease. This virus antigens resembles the actual shingles causing virus. When this vaccine is injected this virus infects the person who got injection. Then host immunity recognizes the virus and produces immune mechanism to fight against it. In the process immune mechanism also produces the memory to fight the virus. When real infection occurs with disease causing virus the immune system ramps up the mechanism to fight the virus rapidly and the chickenpox disease is prevented.
This is active form of immunization in which hosts himself/herself develops immunity inside the body against this virus.
To whom Shingrix vaccine should not be given?
Shingrix vaccine should not be given to
· Those who are pregnant and breast feeding should not get this vaccine.
· Those who are found non-immune to chickenpox.
· Those who are allergic to any of the vaccine components.
Warnings while taking Shingrix: Shingles vaccine:
· This should not be given to pregnant and breastfeeding and mothers.
· The facility which is giving vaccination should be readily equipped with skilled personnel and drugs to manage anaphylaxis reaction.
· The spirit applied before injection to skin should be completely evaporated.
· Use the vaccine as soon as possible after reconstitution.
· Do not administer the vaccine in case of incomplete dissolution, cracked vial and if label is not clear.
· The patient should be observed for any allergic reaction for at least 30 minutes after injection.