Breakthrough could protect vulnerable from pain of shingles

Published on Tuesday 8 June 2010 21:06

SCIENTISTS at a Scottish university have made a breakthrough which could lead to a test and booster vaccine for people who have had chicken pox and are at risk of developing shingles.

The research is of particular value to those such as pregnant women, the elderly and cancer patients who could become seriously ill if they develop the condition.

It could also help many people who are unaware they had chicken pox, which can lead to shingles, while young or had such a mild dose it was not on their medical records.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh devised a technique, which for the first time managed to separate the virus into its constituent proteins and then print them on to a biochip, before incubating the chip with blood from people who had previously had the infection.

They were able to pinpoint which proteins in the virus triggered a reaction in the body's immune system, giving scientists clues about how best to design a vaccine or blood test.

Shingles is a reactivation of the virus infection that causes chickenpox. After a person has had chicken pox, the virus remains in their body, lying dormant or hidden in the nervous system.

For some reason, often years later, the virus travels back down one of the nerves to the skin, where it causes a painful rash with fluid-filled blisters. The pain can persist after the rash has disappeared.

Researchers say the results may help create a test that offers improved sensitivity and earlier detection of infection compared with conventional tests. It would also offer accurate results in cases which might previously have been ambiguous, such as in vaccinated patients or patients with a pre-existing complaint.

With approximately one in five of the population suffering from shingles at some stage in their lifetime, 20 per cent of people could benefit from the booster vaccine to stop them getting shingles.

Shingles affects men and women equally. While more common in older people, it can also occur in younger people and those with a weakened immune system.

Dr Colin Campbell of the University of Edinburgh, who led the research, said: "This study has allowed us to look in great detail at the virus which causes chickenpox and we now know enough to design a better blood test than those currently available."

Dr Campbell added that while it could take up to five years for the booster vaccine to be developed, the research could also be used to examine other conditions such as the human papilloma virus associated with cervical cancer.

Nigel Scott, head of information at the Shingles Support Society, welcoming the research and said: "There is a shingle vaccine already being used in the US and which was meant to be given to the over-70s in the UK from the autumn if a price could be agreed with the manufacturer.

"However, this looks likely to change following the general election. But this latest research means that instead of vaccinating all the over 70s the test could show that perhaps a quarter or a half of the population wouldn't need it and be more cost effective."