Herpes zoster in Germany. A retrospective analyse of SHL data
Schiffner-Rohe, J.; Jow, S.; Lilie, H.M.; Köster, I.; Schubert, I.
MMW Fortschritte der Medizin 151 Suppl. 4: 193-197
2010
ISSN/ISBN: 1438-3276 PMID: 21595148 Document Number: 639537
The incidence of herpes zoster in the elderly (50 years and older) 2004 in Germany was determined by retrospectively analysing representative treatment data of the statutory health insurance sample of AOK Hesse/KV Hesse. The overall observed incidence rate of herpes zoster was 9.4 cases per 1,000 person-years (PY). 10.1% of herpes-zoster-patients suffered at least 1 month from pain, the so called postherpetic neuralgia (PHN1), 6.9% had at least 3 months pain (PHN3). Incidence rate of herpes zoster rose markedly with age: from 6.8 per 1,000 PY in 50 to 54 year-olds to 12.4 PY in persons 80 years and older. Incidence rate in the immunocompromised was higher (11.6 per 1,000 PY) than in the immunocompetent (9.1 per 1,000 PY). According to a standardized extrapolation of the sample to the German population, about 300,000 persons 50 years and older suffered from acute herpes zoster on the year 2004 in Germany.