New shingles vaccine could reduce risk of dementia

After the introduction of a vaccine against shingles (Zostavax) in 2006, several studies have suggested that the risk of dementia might be lower in people who had received the vaccine, although results were not conclusive. This equates to 5-9 more months lived without dementia for those who had been given the Shingrix vaccine compared to the other vaccines. One possibility is that infection with the Herpes zoster virus might increase the risk of dementia, and therefore by inhibiting the virus the vaccine could reduce this risk. Anything that might reduce the risk of dementia is to be welcomed, given the large and increasing number of people affected by it.' The paper ‘The recombinant shingles vaccine is associated with a lower risk of dementia’ is published in Nature Medicine.