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Podcast

Concomitant Receipt of Recombinant Zoster Vaccine With Another Vaccine

10/12/2021

In this soundbite, William Schaffner, MD, speaks about whether concomitant receipt of recombinant zoster vaccine with another vaccine increases the risk of herpes zoster compared with receiving recombinant zoster vaccine alone. This topic was presented at the 2021 virtual Annual Conference on Vaccinology Research sponsored by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. 

Additional Resource:

  • Bruxvoort K, Qian L, Wu J, Ackerson B, Sy L, Florea A, Tseng HF. Herpes zoster following recombinant zoster vaccine with or without concomitant vaccine. Presented at: 2021 Annual Conference on Vaccinology Research; April 26-27, 2021; Virtual. https://acvr.nfid.org/research-highlights/

William Schaffner, MD, is the medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) and is a professor of preventive medicine in the Department of Health Policy and a professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee.

 

TRANSCRIPTION:

Jessica Bard: Hello, everyone and welcome to another installment of "Podcast360," your go‑to resource for medical news and clinical updates. I'm your moderator, Jessica Bard, with Consultant360 Specialty Network.

The Annual Conference on Vaccinology Research has brought together infectious disease researchers and public health experts from around the world for more than 20 years. It's sponsored by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

The NFID Medical Director, Dr William Schaffner is here to speak with us about some of the most timely topics presented at the 2021 virtual Annual Conference on Vaccinology Research. Thank you for joining us today, Dr Schaffner.

The study herpes zoster following recombinant zoster vaccine with or without concomitant vaccine was presented at the conference. Does concomitant receipt of recombinant zoster vaccine with another vaccine increase the risk for herpes zoster compared to receiving RZV alone?

Dr William Schaffner: Recombinant zoster vaccine, RZV is a two‑dose vaccine. In 2017, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices made a preferential recommendation that this be the zoster vaccine that's used. Today it's the only vaccine available in the United States. It's an extremely effective vaccine.

As we're giving it to adults, one of the questions that came up is, if you're giving this vaccine, can you give it with another vaccine, or will somehow the immunogenicity of RZV be compromised? In the Southern California Kaiser Permanente system, they looked back at their extraordinarily comprehensive medical records and they looked at two populations.

One group received RZV vaccine alone, whereas the other received it during the course of normal medical care with another vaccine, usually influenza or pneumococcal vaccine. Then they looked to see whether there were more complications with the RZV plus another vaccine than RZV alone, or whether it worked just as well.

They were able to follow these two populations and found out that zoster was prevented equally in the two groups. Zoster vaccine was not compromised by giving flu vaccine or pneumococcal vaccine at the same time.

That's great, because it reaffirms the CDC's current recommendation, which says, "If you're giving RZV vaccine and the patient is eligible at the same time for either influenza or pneumococcal vaccine, go ahead, give one in one arm, give one in the other, and they'll both work fine." This study affirms that recommendation.

Jessica: Thank you very much for your time today, Dr Schaffner, I enjoyed speaking with you.

Dr William: My great pleasure. Just remember my favorite saying, "When in doubt, vaccinate."