Surveying a Sample of the Spanish Ophthalmologic Community about Vaccination against Herpes Zoster
There are currently two authorized vaccines against herpes zoster (HZ) that have been shown to be safe and effective in its prevention: Zostavax, a zoster vaccine live (ZVL), and Shingrix, a recombinant zoster Vaccine (RZV). Because ophthalmologists work with vision-threatening complications of zost...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Vaccines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/11/5/952 |
| _version_ | 1797598166051192832 |
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| author | Alberto Sánchez-Mellado Luis Alcaraz-Clemente Marina Rodríguez-Calvo-de-Mora José-María Sánchez-González Santiago Ortiz-Perez Carlos Rocha-de-Lossada |
| author_facet | Alberto Sánchez-Mellado Luis Alcaraz-Clemente Marina Rodríguez-Calvo-de-Mora José-María Sánchez-González Santiago Ortiz-Perez Carlos Rocha-de-Lossada |
| author_sort | Alberto Sánchez-Mellado |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | There are currently two authorized vaccines against herpes zoster (HZ) that have been shown to be safe and effective in its prevention: Zostavax, a zoster vaccine live (ZVL), and Shingrix, a recombinant zoster Vaccine (RZV). Because ophthalmologists work with vision-threatening complications of zoster, such as herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO), they are in a good position to advocate for vaccination. Our aim was to determine the current knowledge among Spanish ophthalmologists about the effectiveness of the available vaccines against HZ. A Google Forms questionnaire was created and used as the survey platform for this study. It was an anonymous online survey of 16 questions, which was shared among Spanish ophthalmologists in-training and consultants from 27 April 2022 to 25 May 2022. The survey was completed by a total of 206 ophthalmologists of all subspecialties. We obtained responses from 17 of the 19 regions of Spain. Fifty-five percent of the respondents agreed that HZ is a frequent cause of vision loss. However, 27% of the professionals were unaware of the existence of vaccines against HZ and 71% of them did not know in which cases it could be indicated. Only nine ophthalmologists (4%) had ever suggested vaccination against HZ to their patients. Despite this, 93% considered it important to recommend vaccination against HZ if it proved to be safe and effective. Considering the sequelae, complications, and the existence of safe and effective vaccines against HZ, vaccination of the target population could be considered an important public health measure. We are convinced that it is time for ophthalmologists to take an active role in HZO prevention. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:15:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8739b51c5dc2423192482bec06bc9bcf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-393X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:15:31Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Vaccines |
| spelling | doaj.art-8739b51c5dc2423192482bec06bc9bcf2023-11-18T03:36:13ZengMDPI AGVaccines2076-393X2023-05-0111595210.3390/vaccines11050952Surveying a Sample of the Spanish Ophthalmologic Community about Vaccination against Herpes ZosterAlberto Sánchez-Mellado0Luis Alcaraz-Clemente1Marina Rodríguez-Calvo-de-Mora2José-María Sánchez-González3Santiago Ortiz-Perez4Carlos Rocha-de-Lossada5Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Av. de las Fuerzas Armadas, 2, 18014 Granada, SpainHospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Av. de las Fuerzas Armadas, 2, 18014 Granada, SpainHospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Plaza del Hospital Civil, S/N, 29009 Malaga, SpainDepartment of Physics of Condensed Matter, Optics Area, University of Seville, 41012 Seville, SpainHospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Av. de las Fuerzas Armadas, 2, 18014 Granada, SpainHospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Plaza del Hospital Civil, S/N, 29009 Malaga, SpainThere are currently two authorized vaccines against herpes zoster (HZ) that have been shown to be safe and effective in its prevention: Zostavax, a zoster vaccine live (ZVL), and Shingrix, a recombinant zoster Vaccine (RZV). Because ophthalmologists work with vision-threatening complications of zoster, such as herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO), they are in a good position to advocate for vaccination. Our aim was to determine the current knowledge among Spanish ophthalmologists about the effectiveness of the available vaccines against HZ. A Google Forms questionnaire was created and used as the survey platform for this study. It was an anonymous online survey of 16 questions, which was shared among Spanish ophthalmologists in-training and consultants from 27 April 2022 to 25 May 2022. The survey was completed by a total of 206 ophthalmologists of all subspecialties. We obtained responses from 17 of the 19 regions of Spain. Fifty-five percent of the respondents agreed that HZ is a frequent cause of vision loss. However, 27% of the professionals were unaware of the existence of vaccines against HZ and 71% of them did not know in which cases it could be indicated. Only nine ophthalmologists (4%) had ever suggested vaccination against HZ to their patients. Despite this, 93% considered it important to recommend vaccination against HZ if it proved to be safe and effective. Considering the sequelae, complications, and the existence of safe and effective vaccines against HZ, vaccination of the target population could be considered an important public health measure. We are convinced that it is time for ophthalmologists to take an active role in HZO prevention.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/11/5/952varicella zoster virusSpanish ophthalmologistsurveyvaccinationvaricella herpes zoster |
| spellingShingle | Alberto Sánchez-Mellado Luis Alcaraz-Clemente Marina Rodríguez-Calvo-de-Mora José-María Sánchez-González Santiago Ortiz-Perez Carlos Rocha-de-Lossada Surveying a Sample of the Spanish Ophthalmologic Community about Vaccination against Herpes Zoster Vaccines varicella zoster virus Spanish ophthalmologist survey vaccination varicella herpes zoster |
| title | Surveying a Sample of the Spanish Ophthalmologic Community about Vaccination against Herpes Zoster |
| title_full | Surveying a Sample of the Spanish Ophthalmologic Community about Vaccination against Herpes Zoster |
| title_fullStr | Surveying a Sample of the Spanish Ophthalmologic Community about Vaccination against Herpes Zoster |
| title_full_unstemmed | Surveying a Sample of the Spanish Ophthalmologic Community about Vaccination against Herpes Zoster |
| title_short | Surveying a Sample of the Spanish Ophthalmologic Community about Vaccination against Herpes Zoster |
| title_sort | surveying a sample of the spanish ophthalmologic community about vaccination against herpes zoster |
| topic | varicella zoster virus Spanish ophthalmologist survey vaccination varicella herpes zoster |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/11/5/952 |
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