A national study is under way to test the effectiveness of a vaccine to prevent herpes zoster, or shingles, in older people.
"Shingles, which is caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox, is an extremely painful disease that affects the skin and nerves," says John Gnann, M.D., associate professor of medicine at UAB and principal investigator of the study. "About 20 percent of people over age 60 will get it."
Nationally, 22 centers are recruiting 37,000 volunteers to participate in the study.
"There are antiviral drugs to speed the healing, but, unfortunately, there is no reliable treatment for the long-term pain that can follow, which is why we hope the vaccine works."
Call Joy Carter, Media Relations, 205-934-1676 or [email protected].
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