Dongfang.com reporter Liu Yilin reported on March 1: The reporter learned today from the Herpes Zoster Concern Week Media Communication Conference with the theme of “Integration of Medicine and Prevention to Help Healthy Aging” that in China, people aged 50 and above are newly diagnosed every year. About 1.56 million people suffer from herpes zoster, and its most common complication, postherpetic neuralgia, often causes severe pain and seriously affects the quality of life of patients. 60% have or often have suicidal thoughts, and more than 40% have moderate- Severe sleep disturbance and moderate to severe interference with daily life.
Herpes zoster is an infectious disease that occurs most frequently in middle-aged and elderly people aged 50 and above, with about 99.5% of The varicella-zoster virus that causes shingles lurks in adults 50 and older. Shingles Awareness Week (February 28-March 6) was co-sponsored by the International Federation on Ageing (IFA) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and carried out related activities in 13 countries and regions around the world. The purpose is to call on all sectors of society to pay attention to herpes zoster, encourage early prevention, reduce the incidence rate, and make joint efforts to promote the health of all human beings.
The “Expert Consensus on Herpes Zoster Vaccination” published today mentioned that with the aging of the population in my country, herpes zoster has become a public health problem. However, the public’s awareness of herpes zoster disease and prevention awareness is not high. A survey on herpes zoster disease awareness carried out in many countries showed that only 7% of people thought they might have herpes zoster. .
“Herpes zoster is caused by the varicella-zoster virus. People over 50 years old are prone to herpes zoster, and the older they are, the more susceptible they are to the disease and the more serious the condition.” Department of Dermatology, Beijing Hospital Director Professor Chang Jianmin said, “In addition to rash, pain is the most troublesome symptom of shingles. The pain of shingles includes acute pain and long-term persistent pain caused by postherpetic neuralgia. The latter can For months or even years, it will affect the patient’s life in many ways. Therefore, early prevention, early diagnosis and early treatment of herpes zoster are very important.”
The incidence and age of herpes zoster It is closely related. Liu Xiaohong, director of the Department of Geriatrics of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, who has been engaged in geriatric medicine for a long time, added: “The elderly often suffer from one or more basic diseases, such as diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, etc. The risk of postherpetic neuralgia is significantly increased, and the presence of the underlying disease will lead to more painful and severe episodes of shingles and complications, so it may occur in about one third of people in their lifetime. The prevention of herpes zoster is particularly important. Not only the elderly with chronic diseases should be vaccinated against herpes zoster as soon as possible, but also the elderly over 50 years old. However, many elderly people have not yet understood this important prevention method. Therefore, all parties should let the common people know this knowledge through various methods such as popular science propaganda, which is also the significance of setting up a shingles awareness week.”
The focus of disease prevention is at the grassroots level. Wu Hao, Dean of the School of General Medicine and Continuing Education, Capital Medical University, emphasized: “Primary medical and health institutions play a role in combining prevention and treatment, and are the ‘health gatekeepers’ of residents. They can play a role in popularizing health knowledge and improving people’s awareness and skills of prevention. Important role. During the shingles awareness week, 10 cities across the country will hold special vaccination sessions at local community health service centers. It is believed that through various activities, the public’s awareness and attention to disease prevention and adult vaccines will be effectively promoted. ”
Currently, the treatment of herpes zoster is mainly based on antiviral and symptomatic treatment, and there is no specific drug. Vaccination is the most effective and feasible means of prevention. Feng Luzhao, a researcher at the Peking Union Medical College of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and deputy dean of the School of Medicine and Public Health, said: “At present, most adult vaccines in my country belong to the second-class self-funded vaccine, and the vaccination rate is much lower than the first-class vaccine, but this does not mean Type II vaccines are not important, but are also of great significance in reducing the incidence and burden of infectious diseases. Comprehensive measures should be taken to increase the vaccination rate and reduce the risk of infectious diseases and related complications, such as strengthening popular science publicity, improving The elderly and medical staff will be aware of diseases and vaccines, formulate and develop policies, solve payment barriers, and improve the convenience of vaccination.”
It is reported that the shingles vaccine has been launched in Shanghai since July 2020. , The target of vaccination is adults aged 50 and above, the immunization program is 2 doses, the interval between vaccinations is 2 months, and the longest is not more than 6 months, and the price is 1603.5 yuan per dose. Citizens can consult the specific appointment registration method and required materials from the community health service center where they live. Non-residents of the city can make an appointment for vaccination at the special needs vaccination clinic.