Two scientific studies have revealed that the shingles vaccine, recommended for adults over 50, may offer health benefits beyond preventing the painful rash, as it protects the brain and heart from potentially fatal complications.
The Shingrix vaccine is commonly used to prevent shingles (popularly known as herpes zoster), a painful viral disease caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus – the same virus that causes chickenpox – which remains dormant in the body after the initial infection.
The vaccine is given in two doses with an interval of 2 to 6 months, and is recommended for all healthy adults over the age of fifty, as well as for those over the age of eighteen with low immunity.
The vaccine is more than 90% effective in preventing shingles and its complications, and it is available in many countries around the world.
A large study from Brown University included 500,000 adults aged 66 and older who were admitted to nursing facilities. Researchers compared those who received the Singerix vaccine with those who did not, and found that those who received at least one of the two doses were significantly less likely to develop dementia.
Dementia developed in 18.8% of vaccinated participants, compared to 24.6% of unvaccinated participants.
“This means that one in 17 cases of dementia could be prevented,” author Callie Hayes told Science Daily. She explained that the vaccine, originally developed to prevent the painful rash of shingles and its complications such as severe neuralgia and vision loss, also appears to have “neuroprotective benefits.” She added, “Our cognition is so closely tied to our overall health and what happens to us physically, and it’s truly remarkable to see that something designed to prevent a physical illness can also help keep our brains healthy.”
The second study from Oxford University relied on the fact that there have been two vaccines for shingles in the last twenty years: the old vaccine (Zostavax) which used a live virus and was only 50-65% effective, and the new vaccine “Shingrix” which does not use a live virus, with an effectiveness of more than 90%.
Researchers compared those who received the old vaccine with those who received the new vaccine, and found that the "Shengrex" vaccine reduced the risk of heart problems by 9% over seven years, compared to the old vaccine.
The new vaccine was also associated with a 10% lower risk of ischemic heart disease (where arteries narrow and restrict blood flow to the heart) and a 12% lower risk of heart failure. In men, the new vaccine was associated with a 12% lower risk of ischemic stroke (the most common type caused by a blocked blood vessel).
In a study published earlier this year, researchers found that the Shingrix vaccine reduced the risk of any major cardiac event by 46% compared to unvaccinated individuals. The authors wrote that the vaccine may cause immune changes and changes in endothelial cells (the inner lining of the heart and blood vessels), which could help protect the heart.
It is worth noting that Egyptian actor Bayoumi Fouad was transferred this week to a Cairo hospital after suffering a sudden health crisis while filming his first scenes in the movie "Hiroshima." Initial medical examinations revealed he had shingles.
While the artist is showing remarkable improvement, the importance of raising awareness about this disease and the existence of an effective vaccine that can prevent it and alleviate its serious complications is highlighted, especially with recent discoveries linking the vaccine to additional benefits that go beyond preventing skin rashes.
