[Vaccines against varicella-zoster virus (VZV)]. / Vacunas frente al virus de la varicela zóster.

In Western countries, two attenuated varicella vaccines derived from the OKA strain are licensed: Varilrix® GlaxoSmithKline (OKA/RIT strain) and Varivax® Merck Sharp and Dohme (OKA/Merck strain). Currently, in Spain, varicella vaccination is only included in the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality official vaccination calendar for administration in adolescents who have not had the disease. Given the good results obtained in Navarra and Madrid with universal administration of the vaccine in children, it would be desirable to include the vaccine in the routine immunization schedule, with the administration of two doses at 15-18 months of age in the future. The protective efficacy of the attenuated herpes zoster vaccine was evaluated in the Shingles Prevention Study, which showed that in the short term (0-4 years) the vaccine reduced the incidence of herpes zoster by 53%, post-herpetic neuralgia by 66%, and the disease burden in immunocompetent persons aged ≥60 years by 61%. Another study demonstrated protective efficacy in persons aged 50-59 years. Over time, the protective efficacy decreases, but remains at acceptable levels, especially for post-herpetic neuralgia and the disease burden. Recently, the results of a controlled clinical trial (phase III) conducted in 18 countries to assess the protective efficacy of the inactivated subunit vaccine (glycoprotein E) adjuvanted with the adjuvant AS01B were published. The study inferred that the vaccine significantly reduced the incidence of herpes zoster in the short term (3.2 years) in people aged ≥50 years. Vaccine protection did not decrease with age at vaccination, ranging between 96.8% and 97.9% in all age groups.

Vacunas frente al virus de la varicela zóster / Vaccines against varicella-zoster virus (VZV)

En los países occidentales están comercializadas dos vacunas de la varicela atenuadas derivadas de la cepa OKA: Varilrix® de GlaxoSmithKline (cepa OKA/RIT) y Varivax® de Merck Sharp and Dohme (cepa OKA/Merck). Por el momento en España la vacunación antivaricela solo está incluida en el calendario oficial de vacunaciones para su administración a los adolescentes que no hayan padecido la enfermedad. Dados los buenos resultados obtenidos en Navarra y Madrid con la administración universal de la vacuna a la población infantil, de cara al futuro sería conveniente la inclusión de la vacuna en el calendario de vacunaciones sistemáticas, administrando dos dosis a los 15-18 meses de edad. La eficacia protectora de la vacuna atenuada frente al herpes zóster ha sido evaluada en el «Shingles Prevention Study». A corto plazo (0-4 años) la vacuna disminuye en un 53% la incidencia de herpes zóster, en un 66% la de neuralgia posherpética y en un 61% la carga de la enfermedad en las personas de 60 o más años inmunocompetentes. Otro estudio ha demostrado la eficacia protectora en las personas de 50 a 59 años. Con el tiempo la eficacia protectora disminuye pero se mantiene a niveles aceptables, sobre todo para la neuralgia posherpética y la carga de la enfermedad. Muy recientemente se han publicado los resultados de un ensayo clínico controlado (fase III) efectuado en 18 países para evaluar la eficacia protectora de la vacuna inactivada de subunidades (glicoproteína E) adyuvada con el adyuvante AS01B. La vacuna reduce de forma significativa la incidencia de herpes zóster a corto plazo (3,2 años) en las personas de 50 o más años. Es de destacar que la protección vacunal no disminuye con la edad en el momento de la vacunación, oscilando entre el 96,8 y el 97,9% en todos los grupos de edad

In Western countries, two attenuated varicella vaccines derived from the OKA strain are licensed: Varilrix® GlaxoSmithKline (OKA/RIT strain) and Varivax® Merck Sharp and Dohme (OKA/Merck strain). Currently, in Spain, varicella vaccination is only included in the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality official vaccination calendar for administration in adolescents who have not had the disease. Given the good results obtained in Navarra and Madrid with universal administration of the vaccine in children, it would be desirable to include the vaccine in the routine immunization schedule, with the administration of two doses at 15-18 months of age in the future. The protective efficacy of the attenuated herpes zoster vaccine was evaluated in the Shingles Prevention Study, which showed that in the short term (0-4 years) the vaccine reduced the incidence of herpes zoster by 53%, post-herpetic neuralgia by 66%, and the disease burden in immunocompetent persons aged ≥60 years by 61%. Another study demonstrated protective efficacy in persons aged 50-59 years. Over time, the protective efficacy decreases, but remains at acceptable levels, especially for post-herpetic neuralgia and the disease burden. Recently, the results of a controlled clinical trial (phase III) conducted in 18 countries to assess the protective efficacy of the inactivated subunit vaccine (glycoprotein E) adjuvanted with the adjuvant AS01B were published. The study inferred that the vaccine significantly reduced the incidence of herpes zoster in the short term (3.2 years) in people aged ≥50 years. Vaccine protection did not decrease with age at vaccination, ranging between 96.8% and 97.9% in all age groups

Melanoma incidence increases in the elderly of Catalonia but not in the younger population: effect of prevention or consequence of immigration?

All cases of MM diagnosed in 23 hospitals in Catalonia, from 2000 to 2007 were recorded and melanoma incidence calculated and adjusted for the European standard population via the direct method. The age standardised rate/100,000 inhabitants varied from 6.74 in 2000 to 8.64 in 2007 for all melanomas and from 4.79 to 5.80 for invasive MMs; the Breslow thickness was stable during the period. The increase in invasive melanoma incidence in the elderly was remarkable, the crude rate/100,000 inhabitants increasing from 11.04 (2000) to 15.49 (2007) in the 60-64 year population, while remaining more stable in the 30-34 year range, from 3.97 in 2000 to 4.55 in 2007, and with a tendency to decrease from 5.1 in 2000 to 2.5 in 2007 for the age range of 25-29 years. These lower age ranges are much more affected by immigration. Despite the large immigrant population (nearly one million immigrants arrived in Catalonia during the study period from countries with a low melanoma incidence), melanoma incidence in our region has risen considerably and this trend is likely to persist in the near future.