SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Oct 21 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Canary Islands Governing Council authorized in its session this Thursday the investment of 2,631,493 euros for the contracting of a supply of vaccines against herpes zoster, which will be administered in 2022 to the population over 18 with risk conditions (transplantation of hematopoietic progenitors, solid organ transplantation, treatment with anti-JAK drugs, HIV, hematological malignancies and solid tumors under treatment with chemotherapy).
According to the report of the Epidemiology and Prevention service of the General Directorate of Public Health, the Canary Islands require a total of 18,634 doses to attend to the vaccination of this demographic group which, at a unit price of 141.22 euros, will represent a total cost of 2,631. 493 euros.
Herpes zoster is a disease caused by a reactivation of the latent varicella-zoster virus, which affects the peripheral nerves – gangliorradicular neuropathy – and the skin, where it can produce small painful ring-shaped blisters grouped along a dermatome .
Herpes zoster can present different complications depending on the affected nerves, especially in immunosuppressed individuals, including temporary motor or facial paralysis, respiratory failure, and secondary bacterial infections.
The main sequela that can appear after the disappearance of skin signs is postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), which consists of a chronic painful sensation in the affected dermatome that can last from several weeks to years.
Despite the fact that herpes zoster has a low mortality, its complications represent an important public health problem.
Its incidence is higher with age, presenting a turning point at 50 years of age. From this age to 85, one in five men and one in four women will suffer from it.
People with immunosuppression and underlying diseases are also at higher risk for this problem.
