Incidence and disease burden of herpes zoster in the population aged ≥50 years in China: Data from an integrated health care network

Xiaohui Sun; Zheng Wei; Hongbo Lin; Mark Jit; Zhenwei Li; Chuanxi Fu

doi:10.1016/j.jinf.2020.12.013

Incidence and disease burden of herpes zoster in the population aged ≥50 years in China: Data from an integrated health care network

J Infect. 2021 Feb;82(2):253-260. doi: 10.1016/j.jinf.2020.12.013. Epub 2021 Jan 6.

Authors

Xiaohui Sun¹, Zheng Wei¹, Hongbo Lin², Mark Jit³, Zhenwei Li¹, Chuanxi Fu⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 548, Binwen Rd, Hangzhou 310053, China.
² Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Yinzhou District, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315100, China.
³ The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit in Immunisation, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
⁴ Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 548, Binwen Rd, Hangzhou 310053, China. Electronic address: fuchuanxi@zcmu.edu.cn.

PMID: 33359014
DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2020.12.013

Abstract

Background: Herpes zoster (HZ) mainly affects elderly and immunocompromised individuals and is characterized by a painful vesicular rash. Data on the epidemiology of HZ, particularly in unvaccinated individuals aged ≥50 years, are still limited in China. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the epidemiological features, disease burden, and associated risk factors of HZ in the population aged ≥50 years in China.

Methods: We evaluated HZ patients who were aged ≥50 years between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2017 in the electronic health record database of Yinzhou district. HZ and its complications were identified using ICD-10 codes. In addition, post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) as a complication of HZ was defined as pain occurring or persisting 90 days after rash onset. The disease burden was estimated according to the duration of hospitalization, frequency of visits, pharmacological treatment cost, and examination cost. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to investigate the associated risk factors for HZ.

Results: The overall incidence of HZ was 6.64 per 1000 person-years. Of the 4,313 initial episodes from 2015 to 2017, there were 99 recurrent cases. In total, 7.26% and 3.94% of the HZ patients had PHN and other complications, respectively. The average frequency of outpatient visits was significantly lower in patients with initial disease than that in patients with recurrence (3.6 vs. 6.7 per patient). The mean duration of hospital stay was longer in the recurrent episode than that in the initial episode (24.0 vs. 21.6 days). The inpatient and outpatient cost per new-onset HZ was approximately ¥8116.9 and ¥560.2 per patient, respectively. Age; female sex; suburban residency; and presence of immunocompromised disease, hypertension, or diabetes were significantly associated with the development of HZ.

Conclusion: The incidence and recurrence rates of HZ showed different trends with increasing age. The presence of HZ-related complications increased the direct medical costs. Our findings help provide a basis for developing appropriate strategies for HZ prevention and control.

Keywords: Disease burden; Herpes zoster; Older adults; Risk factor.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
China / epidemiology
Cost of Illness
Female
Herpes Zoster* / complications
Herpes Zoster* / epidemiology
Herpesvirus 3, Human
Humans
Incidence
Neuralgia, Postherpetic* / epidemiology