Released on: May 29, 2008, 11:31 am

Press Release Author: Emmanuel Chavez

Industry:

Press Release Summary: Shingles or Herpes Zoster is a painful, burning, itchy skin
rash that is often coupled with blisters that may last up to five weeks. This
condition is often associated with pain that may last from months to years. Yearly,
close to one million shingle cases are diagnosed across the United States.

Press Release Body: A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of
Texas (UT) Medical School in Houston have recognized family history as a factor in
the susceptibility of a severe skin condition called shingles.
Shingles or Herpes Zoster is a painful, burning, itchy skin rash that is often
coupled with blisters that may last up to five weeks. This condition is often
associated with pain that may last from months to years. Yearly, close to one
million shingle cases are diagnosed across the United States.
Individuals whose family members experienced shingles outbreak may have higher risk
of developing the same condition. This is according to Dr. Stephen Tyring, a
clinical professor in the Department of Dermatology at the UT Medical School at
Houston. \"If just one blood relative has had shingles, you should get vaccinated.
Your risk is double that of someone who has had no relatives with the virus. The
estimate, however, is most valid for first degree relatives such as a mother, father
or sibling.\" Tyring adds.
The study included 1,027 patients treated for shingles between 1992 and 2005. Of
more than 500 patients with shingles, 39 percent of them reported knowing or having
a blood relative which have suffered from shingles. This was compared to only 11
percent of age, sex, race-matched patients who had never had shingles knew of any
blood relative who had shingles in the past.
Separate studies show that people are less likely to get shingles if they have been
treated with chickenpox vaccine. There are many Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
approved vaccines that can be administered by general physicians.
Tyring recommends the shingles vaccination for those with a family history. The
shingles vaccine was approved for patients over 60 in 2006, and is now being studied
for use in younger patients.
The UT study found out that about 25 to 50 percent of people older than 50
experience shingles pain can linger for months or years. Oftentimes, these
conditions develop long after the rash and blisters have disappeared-this condition
is called post-herpetic neuralgia.
The lead author of the study is Lindsey D. Hicks, a graduating senior at the UT
Medical School at Houston. With Tyring, other co-authors at the UT Medical School at
Houston include: Vandana Madkan, M.D., and Anita Arora, M.D


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