Clin Exp Vaccine Res.  2019 Jul;8(2):116-123. 10.7774/cevr.2019.8.2.116.

A clinico-epidemiological multicenter study of herpes zoster in immunocompetent and immunocompromised hospitalized children

• Hwang JH
• Kim KH
• Han SB
• Kim HH
• Kim JH
• Lee SY
• Choi UY
• Kang JH

• KMID: 2455083
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7774/cevr.2019.8.2.116

Abstract

PURPOSE
There are limited population-based data regarding herpes zoster in children. Thus we conducted a multi-institutional epidemiological analysis of herpes zoster in children and comparative analysis according to their immune status.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study included 126 children under the age of 18 years who were hospitalized for herpes zoster at 8 hospitals in South Korea, between July 2009 and June 2015. The subjects were divided into 2 groups according to their immune status, and medical records were reviewed.
RESULTS
There were 61 cases (48.4%) in the immunocompetent group and 65 cases (51.6%) in the immunocompromised group. Median age was older in immunocompromised group (11.4 vs. 8.6) (p<0.001). The mean duration of hospitalization was longer in immunocompromised group (11.0 vs. 6.6) (p<0.001). Patients were treated with oral or intravenous antiviral agents. A total of 12 in immunocompetent group were cured only by oral acyclovir. No treatment failure was found in both groups. Six immunocompromised patients had postherpetic neuralgia and 1 case was in immunocompetent group. In immunocompetent children, herpes zoster was likely caused by early varicella infection. There was no increase in progression of severity in both groups due to appropriate treatment.
CONCLUSION
Early initiation of therapy is necessary for those in immunocompromised conditions. And inactivated herpes zoster vaccination may be considered in immunocompromised adolescents in the future.

Keyword

Herpes zoster; Immunocompetent children; Immunocompromised children; Epidemiological analysis

MeSH Terms

Acyclovir
Adolescent
Antiviral Agents
Chickenpox
Child
Child, Hospitalized*
Herpes Zoster*
Hospitalization
Humans
Immunocompromised Host
Korea
Medical Records
Neuralgia, Postherpetic
Treatment Failure
Vaccination
Acyclovir
Antiviral Agents

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