Risk of herpes zoster after exposure to varicella to explore the exogenous boosting hypothesis: self controlled case series study using UK electronic healthcare data.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To assess the magnitude and duration of any hypothesised protective effect of household exposure to a child with varicella on the relative incidence of herpes zoster in adults.

Design

Self controlled case series.

Setting

UK general practices contributing to Clinical Practice Research Datalink.

Participants

9604 adults (≥18 years) with a diagnosis of herpes zoster (in primary care or hospital records) between 1997 and 2018, who during their observation period lived with a child (<18 years) with a diagnosis of varicella.

Main outcome measures

Relative incidence of herpes zoster in the 20 years after exposure to a child with varicella in the household compared with baseline time (all other time, excluding the 60 days before exposure).

Results</

SUBMITTER: Forbes H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7190015 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature