vaccination

Shingles, Flu Vaccines Are Safe to Administer in Same Visit

An adjuvanted herpes zoster subunit vaccine (HZ/su) can be safely co-administered with a quadrivalent seasonal inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV4) without concern for interference in immune response in adults aged 50 years and older, according to a recent clinical trial.

In the randomized trial, 413 participants were assigned to receive HZ/su and IIV4 at baseline followed by a second HZ/su dose at 2 months (Co-ad group) and 415 participants were assigned to receive IIV4 at baseline and doses of HZ/Su at 2 and 4 months (control group). The vaccine response rate (VRR) and the non-inferiority of antibody responses to both vaccines were evaluated as the primary outcomes. Additionally, safety concerns were assessed throughout the study.
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Overall, the HZ/su VRR among participants in the Co-ad group was 95.8% and the anti-gE geometic mean concentration ratio between both groups was 1.08.

“No interference in the immune responses to either vaccine was observed when co-administered and no safety concerns were identified,” the researchers concluded.

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

Schwarz TF, Aggarwal N, Moeckesch B, et al. Immunogenicity and safety of an adjuvanted herpes zoster subunit vaccine co-administered with seasonal influenza vaccine in adults aged 50 years and older [published online September 26, 2017]. J Infect Dis. https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jix481.