Herpes zoster recurrences more frequent than previously reported.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To present population-based estimates of herpes zoster (HZ) recurrence rates among adults.

Patients and methods

To identify recurrent cases of HZ, we reviewed the medical records (through December 31, 2007) of all Olmsted County, Minnesota, residents aged 22 years or older who had an incident case of HZ between January 1, 1996, and December 31, 2001. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression models were used to describe recurrences by age, immune status, and presence of prolonged pain at the time of the incident HZ episode.

Results

Of the 1669 persons with a medically documented episode of HZ, 95 had 105 recurrences (8 persons with >1 recurrence) by December 31, 2007, an average follow-up of 7.3 years. The Kaplan-Meier estimate of the recurrence rate at 8 years

SUBMITTER: Yawn BP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3031432 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature