Immunocompetent Children Account for the Majority of Complications in Childhood Herpes Zoster
1Institute of Social Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, and 2Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital, Ludwig‐Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
In a 2‐year‐long active surveillance conducted in all German pediatric hospitals, the incidence of hospitalization because of herpes zoster and the clinical picture of complications in children were assessed. Herpes zoster resulted in hospitalization of 244 children, 78 of whom were considered to be immunocompromised. Zoster ophthalmicus (
), meningoencephalitis (
), and zoster oticus (
) (11 cases had Ramsay Hunt syndrome) accounted for 59% of all complications (
). The incidence of hospitalization suggests that at least 1 in every 100 children with herpes zoster is hospitalized and that at least 1 in every 250 immunocompetent children with herpes zoster is hospitalized with complications.
Received 22 March 2007; accepted 1 June 2007; electronically published 31 October 2007.
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Potential conflicts of interest: GlaxoSmithKline, Beecham, and Sanofi Pasteur, producers of varicella vaccines, sponsored a full‐time position for V.G. and a part‐time position for E.R., for the conduct, data management, and analysis of the study. During the past 5 years, R.v.K., B.H.B., and J.L. received funds from at least one of these companies, for attending symposia, for speaking, for organizing education, for research, for a staff member, or for consulting.
Financial support: GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, GlaxoSmithKline GmbH & Co. KG, and Sanofi Pasteur MSD GmbH.