Herpes Zoster Hospitalizations in Italy

In Italy, the 2017-2019 National Immunization Plan recommended specific vaccinations for the elderly, defined as those 65 years old and older, and at-risk adults with age 50+ (adults presenting cardiovascular, respiratory, or metabolic diseases, immunodepression, etc.). However, the coverage target set by the Plan (50% for Herpes Zoster vaccination in 2019) was not reached. Providing additional data on the incidence of Herpes Zoster could improve the risks perception of the disease and the vaccination uptake. The present study will aim to describe a full picture of Herpes Zoster associated hospital admissions in Italy, focusing on co-morbidities which induce reduced varicella-zoster virus-specific cell-mediated immunity response. Furthermore, as varicella-zoster virus reactivation was reported in COVID-19-positive patients, a deepening on a possible relationship between the two infections will be investigated.