There are approximately 100,000 cases of shingles every year in France. This viral infection which is characterized by the appearance of red and painful blisters on the chest, abdomen or face, or even in the eye, is due to the reactivation of the chickenpox virus (called VZV, for varicella-zoster virus). But it’s not yet clear why some people develop the disease while others manage to escape it.
A new study, led by Dr Young Juhn, pediatrician and epidemiologist at the Mayo Clinic in the United States, shows that the effects of asthma on immune dysfunction could go beyond the respiratory tract, and increase the risk of reactivation of the virus chickenpox.
For this study, the epidemiologist looked at the medical records of adults aged 50 and older living in Minnesota and compared the frequency of asthma in people who had shingles and those who escaped the virus.
Of the patients with shingles, 23 had or had suffered from asthma compared to 15% of patients in the control group. Using a statistical method, the researchers calculated that adults with asthma appeared to have a 70% higher risk of developing shingles, compared to non-asthmatics.
They also found a link between atopic dermatitis and a higher risk of shingles.
The underlying mechanisms are unclear. However, researchers believe that impaired immune functions of the skin and respiratory tract increase the risk of reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus.
“As asthma is an unrecognized risk factor for shingles in adults, consideration should be given to adult vaccination aged 50 and over with asthma or atopic dermatitis “ concludes the doctor.
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