Brief report: Effectiveness and safety of recombinant zoster vaccine in inflammatory bowel disease patients aged 18 years and older: A matched cohort and self-controlled case series study.

What To Know

This study evaluated recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) effectiveness against herpes zoster (shingles) in adults with IBD using matched cohort and self-controlled case series methods.

Two doses of RZV (given ≥4 weeks apart) were associated with roughly 65% effectiveness against HZ overall, with similar estimates in ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease subgroups. The authors did not find an increased rate of IBD flares in the 30-day window after vaccination.

What this appears to report: In a Kaiser Permanente Southern California cohort, adults with IBD who completed a 2-dose RZV series had lower rates of herpes zoster compared with matched unvaccinated IBD patients; analyses also compared flare rates before and after vaccination and found no evidence of increased short-term flares.

Limitations and practical notes: This brief is based on the article abstract provided by the journal; it does not include the full paper's methods, subgroup details, or longer-term safety data. Vaccine timing, baseline immunosuppression, and how flares were defined may affect interpretation and are not detailed here.

If you’re considering shingles vaccination: discuss timing and suitability with your clinician, especially if you are on immunosuppressive therapy or recently had a flare.