Clin Infect Dis

Zoster vaccine cuts risk of herpes zoster ophthalmicus and cardiovascular events in older adults

August 22, 2025

Study details: This matched cohort study analyzed over 500,000 adults aged ≥50 years within Kaiser Permanente Southern California from 2018–2022. Researchers compared 102,766 individuals who received two doses of the adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) to 411,064 unvaccinated controls, matched on age, sex, race/ethnicity, and index date. Outcomes included herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO), hospitalized acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and stroke, identified via clinical notes and ICD-10 codes.

Results: RZV vaccination was associated with significantly lower risks of HZO (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.271), AMI (aHR, 0.720), and stroke (aHR, 0.575). Vaccine effectiveness against HZO was 72.9% (95% confidence interval, 67.0%–77.8%).

Clinical impact: Beyond preventing shingles, RZV may confer substantial protection against serious cardiovascular events in older adults. These findings support broader public health value of RZV and may inform vaccine uptake strategies in aging populations.

Source:

Rayens E, et al. (2025, August 9). Clin Infect Dis. Adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine is effective against herpes zoster ophthalmicus, and is associated with lower risk of acute myocardial infarction and stroke in adults aged ≥50 years. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40795767/