Reply to I've had shingles decades ago, no vaccine since. QUESTION:

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]No. Your case of shingles would be determined by whether or not the dormant virus reactivates within your own body (stress, sleep deprivation, and aging can all contribute to elevated risk).

It’s a good question bc shingles is an “odd” virus that way; many people do not understand it!

Depending on your age, you might want to consider getting the shingles vaccine since cases of shingles can recur. Shingrix, the vaccine, has unpleasant side effects but it is extremely effective.[/quote]
It is effective , but will it mitigate my current dormant infection or just any new ones? 
Interestingly enough,  DH got the older shingles  shot ( the one before Shingrex)- and here he is, but this is a very milder atypically presented case.  But, they did stop manufacturing that  vax. [/quote]

The older vaccine, Zostavax, was *much* less effective than Shingrix to the point where I can understand why a lot of Drs did not recommend it. Not only was Zostavax not that effective (~50%), its effects also waned very quickly (I work in academia in infectious disease research and have to stay up-to-date on reading through clinical trial evidence for antivirals and vaccines). The efficacy and effectiveness studies for Shingrix did show a significant benefit for adults even with prior shingles infection (&gt;90%) as well as longer lasting benefits. It’s an “odd” virus because it never fully clears the body - it’s in the herpesvirus family so it stays latent (like other herpesviruses you’ve also heard of!). The vaccine boosts your immune defenses against subsequent reactivation.

It’s up to you, but if I were an adult 50+, I would absolutely get the newer vaccine to boost my immune system’s response to subsequent virus reactivation and would just plan ahead for side effects. I would not want a severe shingles flare-up in my 70s when there could be much worse outcomes.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/shingles/symptoms-causes/syc-20353054[/quote]

Thanks, Academic!

Question: I received the first Shingrix shot 4 years ago and never followed up with the second. For protection, would one more shot be sufficient or would it be better to restart with the two shot regime?[/quote]

I did this too. Been a year since dose #1. My doctor said yesterday that I should absolutely go back for another so I guess I’ll do that Sunday. [/quote]

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