Prevalence of herpes zoster in individuals who have received COVID-19 vaccine and/or had COVID-19: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE: Herpes zoster (HZ), the symptomatic reactivation of Varicella zoster virus (VZV), has been frequently reported in individuals infected with COVID-19 or following COVID-19 vaccination. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the frequency of HZ in individuals who have received the COVID-19 vaccine and/or had COVID-19 and to determine its relationship with the COVID-19 vaccine and/or COVID-19.Materials and Methods: The study administered a specially designed survey to volunteers who had experienced COVID-19 and/or been vaccinated. The survey was administered at two separate centers: the dermatology department of a private medical center and the oral and dentomaxillofacial radiology department of a university. The survey was administered to volunteers who presented to the dermatology department of a private medical center by a dermatologist and to volunteers who presented to the oral and dentomaxillofacial radiology department by two oral and dentomaxillofacial radiologists via face-to-face interview. RESULTS: A total of 379 surveys were included in the study. The rate of those who had HZ before receiving the COVID-19 vaccine or having COVID-19 was 1.3%; those who had HZ during COVID-19 disease was 1.9%; those who had HZ after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine were 11.9%. No statistically significant relationship was found between COVID-19 and HZ (p=0.104). A statistically significant association was found between vaccine type and HZ in COVID-19 vaccine recipients (p=0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Based on the findings of this study, a possible association was observed between COVID-19 vaccination and the occurrence of HZ. Although there was no association between COVID-19 and HZ, there were patients who had HZ during or after COVID-19. Therefore, clinicians need to be prepared and aware of the possible relationship between vaccination and/or COVID-19 and HZ. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although the pandemic may be over, the persistence of COVID-19 and ongoing vaccination efforts highlight the need for careful evaluation of post-infectious and post-vaccination events. Herpes Zoster reactivation may occur in temporal relation to either, particularly among older adults or those with compromised immunity. Although causality remains unproven, clinicians should maintain heightened awareness of this association to facilitate early diagnosis, prevent complications, and provide appropriate counseling regarding vaccine safety.