Can I Get Shingles from Zostavax?

Shingles is a viral infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus.

Mayo Clinic explains that shingles are characterized by a painful rash that can develop anywhere on the body. While the rash can develop anywhere, it most often shows up in a single stripe of blisters located on the side of the torso, Mayo Clinic says. Shingles are caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. The virus that causes chickenpox stays in your body, in the nerve tissue near the spinal cord and brain. Mayo says that the virus can reactivate, and when it does, it comes back as shingles.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that a person’s risk for developing shingles increases with age and recommends that patients over age 60 get a shingles vaccine. One of those vaccines is Zostavax; however, some patients have reported shingles from Zostavax. 

What is Zostavax?

Zostavax is a vaccine used to treat shingles, and is manufactured by Merck & Co. It is administered in a shot, usually in a patient’s upper arm. Zostavax was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2006 and can protect against shingles for about five years. Zostavax is recommended for patients in their 60s or older.

Vaccines, like Zostavax, work by introducing a small, harmless amount of a virus into a patient’s body so that the body can recognize the virus and fight it off if it encounters it in full force.

Zostavax uses an attenuated virus, not a dead one. In most vaccines, a dead version of the virus is used to acquaint a patient’s immune system to a virus. However, in some cases, a weakened form of the virus, as opposed to a dead form, is used in a vaccine. A weakened form of a virus is called an attenuated virus. 

The benefits of using an attenuated virus in a vaccine as opposed to a dead vaccine are that the attenuated virus is stronger than a dead one, so a person’s immune system is forced to develop a stronger defense against the virus to defend itself. Ideally, a vaccine with an attenuated virus is supposed to help patients gain the strongest defense possible against a virus. That said, people with compromised immune systems cannot take vaccines that use an attenuated virus strain.

The FDA says that Zostavax can help with postherpetic neuralgia or the pain that can come with shingles. Reportedly, it can help with the condition in patients who are over 70 and still got shingles even though they were vaccinated.

Zostavax Side Effects

As with any vaccine or medicine, there are possible side effects linked with Zostavax. Mild complications connected to the vaccine include redness, soreness, swelling, or itching at the injection site, which is fairly common—about one in three people who take Zostavax experience one of these symptoms. A headache occurs in about one in 70 people.

Unfortunately, more serious side effects have also been linked with Zostavax exposure, including a chickenpox-like rash. Some people may experience a severe allergic reaction, such as hives, swelling of the face and throat, difficulty breathing, a fast heartbeat, dizziness, and weakness.

Can I get Shingles from Zostavax?

It may seem counterintuitive, but it may be possible to develop shingles from Zostavax; not just in spite of it.

One risk associated with using an attenuated virus in a vaccine is that an attenuated virus can strengthen again, whereas a dead one cannot. This means that if the attenuated virus strengthens enough, it can pose a danger to the person’s health and may make them sick with the illness it aims to prevent.

According to a number of vaccinated individuals, this was the case with the Zostavax vaccine. Some patients claim that they developed shingles because of Zostavax. Allegedly, Zostavax was especially strong and came with a high risk of causing patients to develop shingles – the ailment it was meant to prevent.

Some allege that Merck, the makers of Zostavax, knew or should have known that Zostavax could cause shingles, but did not inform the public or did not do enough to make the vaccine safe. Many of these claims have led to Zostavax lawsuits.

Are There Other Shingles Vaccines?

Patients worried about contracting shingles from Zostavax can consider another option for shingles vaccinations. Shingrix is much newer than Zostavax. It was approved in 2017 and is recommended for people over 50. Mayo Clinic says that it is preferred to Zostavax because it can offer protection for longer than five years. Moreover,  it contains a dead virus as opposed to a living virus as found in Zostavax.

Filing a Zostavax Lawsuit

A growing number of people are coming forward with allegations against Merck over Zostavax complications, alleging that the manufacturer failed to adequately warn patients and the medical community about the risks associated with its vaccine, including the risk of developing shingles.

If you or someone you love has suffered from Zostavax side effects, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation. Of course, filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by these complications, but it can at least help to alleviate the financial burden incurred by medical expenses, lost wages, and more.

Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.