Data ICTV MSL41 & NCBI · 9 November 2026 Methods · Changelog · Corrections

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Varicella-zoster virus

Taxonomy pass, October 2026

ICTV species Varicellovirus humanalpha3, family Orthoherpesviridae. What it is, and what exists against it.

At a glance

AbbreviationHuAHV3, VZV
ICTV speciesVaricellovirus humanalpha3
FamilyOrthoherpesviridae
Baltimore classI — dsDNA
Human infectionHuman infection recorded; pattern not classified

Also called: human alphaherpesvirus 3; varicella-zoster virus; Varicellovirus humanalpha3

Duplodnaviria › Peploviricota › Herviviricetes › Herpesvirales › Orthoherpesviridae › Varicellovirus

What it is

Taxonomy copied from ICTV MSL41.v1 / VMR_MSL41.v1.20260729.xlsx. These ranks are not hand-edited; a correction means re-running the fetch against a newer release.

RealmDuplodnaviria
KingdomHeunggongvirae
PhylumPeploviricota
ClassHerviviricetes
OrderHerpesvirales
FamilyOrthoherpesviridae
SubfamilyAlphaherpesvirinae
GenusVaricellovirus
ICTV identifierICTV19840518
NCBI taxon3050294
Exemplar isolateX04370

Host evidence

Counts of nucleotide records annotated with that host. Evidence of provenance, not a statement of host range.

Where it occurs

Not searched yet. No country-level occurrence data has been curated for this virus. The WHO reported-case data on this site covers a limited set of diseases; a virus outside it gets no map rather than an empty one.

What it does

65
disease-burden figures
29
post-infectious sequelae figures
116
effectiveness estimates
5
vaccine adverse-event figures
26
randomised trial
27
pooled or expert review
59
controlled observational
4
surveillance, ecological, modelling
Case-fatality prevaccine era
1 CFR (deaths per 100,000 cases)
children age 1 through 14 years, United States per case
quote
The fatality rate for varicella was approximately 1 per 100,000 cases among children age 1 through 14 years, 6 per 100,000 cases among persons age 15 through 19 years, and 21 per 100,000 cases among adults.
expert body
Incidence study period 2006-2009, early universal vaccination
2.0 incidence per 100,000 live births per year
neonates, Australia per population
quote
Two cases of congenital varicella (0.19 per 100 000 live births per annum) and 16 cases of neonatal varicella (2.0 per 100 000 live births per annum) were identified.
Khandaker G 2011 Arch Dis Child

Lowest and highest vaccine effectiveness reported: 21.1% (Morrison VA 2015 Clin Infect Dis; Herpes zoster incidence, 7-11 years after vaccination, 60 years and older at vaccination) to 100% (Alexandra Echeverria Proano D 2024 Hum Vaccin Immunother; Confirmed herpes zoster, 50 years and older). Two of 64 estimates, each from its own study; not a summary figure.

Vaccine effectiveness against any disease or infection 546 not drawn (value printed as an inequality or in words)
-75%-50%-25%0%25%50%75%100%

What can follow the illness

Coronary heart disease after herpes zoster
1.12 pooled adjusted RR vs people without zoster
adults, multiple; vs people without herpes zoster
quote
Herpes zoster was also associated with an elevated risk of CHD (RR, 1.12 [95% CI, 1.08-1.15]) and stroke (RR, 1.18 [95% CI, 1.09-1.27]).
Kawai K 2025 J Am Heart Assoc
Stroke after herpes zoster
1.18 pooled adjusted RR vs people without zoster
adults, multiple; vs people without herpes zoster
quote
Herpes zoster was also associated with an elevated risk of CHD (RR, 1.12 [95% CI, 1.08-1.15]) and stroke (RR, 1.18 [95% CI, 1.09-1.27]).
Kawai K 2025 J Am Heart Assoc
Dementia after herpes zoster infection
0.99 pooled RR vs people without zoster
adults, multiple; vs people without herpes zoster
quote
In the outcome of incidences of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, the pooled analysis showed no statistically significant difference between the HZV group and the incidence of dementia (RR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.92-1.08, P = .89), (RR = 3.74, 95% CI = 0.22-62.70, P = .36) respectively.
Elhalag RH 2023 Medicine (Baltimore)

When problems appear: after the infection, and after the vaccine

Two separate clocks on the same logarithmic scale. The first starts at the infection and shows when its sequelae are described as beginning; the second starts at the dose and shows when the vaccine's adverse events are described as beginning. Each bar is one source's printed window, not a synthesis; hover for the source.

After the infection: post-infectious syndromes 8
  • Clinical description: when it is observed to begin
  • Case definition: a time criterion built into the diagnosis
  • Study risk window: when events were counted, not typical onset
10 min1 h6 h1 d1 wk1 mo3 mo1 y5 yPostherpetic neuralgia and other HZ com…within 90 days of HZ onsetCongenital varicella syndromefirst 20 weeks of gestationStrokewithin 6 monthsStrokeweeks 1-4Neonatal varicella (onset in the neonat…9 to 15 daysPostherpetic neuralgia›≥90 daysStrokeweeks 13-26Congenital varicella syndrome (isolated…after 20 weeks of gestation, latest at 28 weeks
After vaccination: adverse events 85 more in the table
  • Clinical description: when it is observed to begin
  • Product label observation window
  • Compensation-table interval
  • Study risk window: when events were counted, not typical onset
10 min1 h6 h1 d1 wk1 mo3 mo1 y5 yAnaphylaxis≤4 hoursShoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Admi…≤48 hoursSolicited local and general adverse rea…within 7 DaysVaricella-like rash at the injection si…within 2 weeksGeneralized varicella-like rashwithin 3 weeksUnsolicited adverse eventswithin 30 days (Day 0 to 29)Guillain-Barré syndromeduring the 42 days following vaccinationGuillain-Barré syndromedays 1-42

Disease risk and vaccine efficacy: every estimate with its population, design and the sentence it came from.

Vaccines

In use against this virus
NameDeveloperPlatformUseStageJurisdictionsTrialsSource
Zoster Vaccine Recombinant, AdjuvantedSee FDA listingNot searched yetRoutine immunisationApprovedUS: approved—candidateId fda-zoster-vaccine-recombinant-adjuvanted (targetDisease '

In development

Candidates
NameDeveloperPlatformUseStageJurisdictionsTrialsSource
HZ/su vaccineGlaxoSmithKlineNot searched yetRoutine immunisationPhase 3Not searched yetNCT05371080candidateId ctgov-hz-su-vaccine-glaxosmithkline (targetDisease 'Varice
Live Attenuated Varicella VaccineSinovac (Dalian) Vaccine Technology Co., Ltd.live attenuatedRoutine immunisationPhase 3Not searched yetNCT06484686candidateId ctgov-live-attenuated-varicella-vaccine-sinovac-dalian-vac
Live Attenuated Varicella Vaccine (Sinovac Dalian)Sinovac (Dalian) Vaccine Technology Co., Ltd.live attenuatedRoutine immunisationPhase 3Not searched yetNCT05095701candidateId ctgov-investigational-live-attenuated-varicella-vaccine-si
Marketed varicella vaccineGlaxoSmithKlineNot searched yetRoutine immunisationPhase 3Not searched yetNCT06806137 NCT06693895candidateId ctgov-investigational-varicella-vaccine-glaxosmithkline (t
Marketed varicella vaccine_Lot 1GlaxoSmithKlineNot searched yetRoutine immunisationPhase 3Not searched yetNCT06740630candidateId ctgov-investigational-varicella-vaccine-lot-1-glaxosmithkl
PROVARIXSinovac (Dalian) Vaccine Technology Co., Ltd.Not searched yetRoutine immunisationPhase 3Not searched yetNCT07475000candidateId ctgov-provarix-sinovac-dalian-vaccine-technology-co-ltd (t
Recombinant Herpes Zoster Vaccine (Shingrix)Tor Biering-SørensenNot searched yetRoutine immunisationPhase 3Not searched yetNCT07485283candidateId ctgov-recombinant-herpes-zoster-vaccine-shingrix-tor-bieri
Recombinant zoster vaccineGlaxoSmithKlineNot searched yetRoutine immunisationPhase 3Not searched yetNCT07502560candidateId ctgov-recombinant-zoster-vaccine-glaxosmithkline (targetDi
Recombinant Zoster Vaccine (RZV)University of Sao Paulo General HospitalNot searched yetRoutine immunisationPhase 3Not searched yetNCT07280741candidateId ctgov-recombinant-zoster-vaccine-rzv-university-of-sao-pau
Active-controlled vaccine ASinovac Biotech Co., LtdmrnaRoutine immunisationPhase 2Not searched yetNCT07400003candidateId ctgov-low-dose-experimental-vaccine-sinovac-biotech-co-ltd
PED-HZ/suGlaxoSmithKlineNot searched yetRoutine immunisationPhase 2Not searched yetNCT04006808candidateId ctgov-ped-hz-su-glaxosmithkline (targetDisease 'Varicella
Z-1018Dynavax Technologies CorporationNot searched yetRoutine immunisationPhase 2Not searched yetNCT06569823candidateId ctgov-z-1018-dynavax-technologies-corporation (targetDisea
Candidate 1: PF-07915234: VZV modRNA Powder for Suspension for InjectionPfizermrnaRoutine immunisationDiscontinuedNot searched yetNCT05703607candidateId ctgov-candidate-1-pf-07915234-vzv-modrna-powder-for-suspen
mRNA-1468ModernaTX, Inc.mrnaRoutine immunisationDiscontinuedNot searched yetNCT05701800candidateId ctgov-mrna-1468-modernatx-inc (targetDisease 'Varicella /
V212 Lot 1Merck Sharp & Dohme LLCinactivated wholeRoutine immunisationDiscontinuedNot searched yetNCT02180295candidateId ctgov-v212-lot-1-merck-sharp-dohme-llc (targetDisease 'Var

Antivirals

In use against this virus
NameMechanismUseStageJurisdictionsTrialsSource
AcyclovirAcyclovirNon-nucleoside polymerase inhibitorTreatmentApprovedUS: approved—
quote
INDICATIONS AND USAGE Herpes Zoster Infections : Acyclovir is indicated for the acute treatment of herpes zoster (shingles).

Herpes Zoster Virus Nucleoside Analog DNA Polymerase Inhibitor [EPC]; SPL id cb9a2970-e0e8-4faf-9ed9-06bec3649207 · verified 2026-10-30

Antibodies and immune globulins

Not searched yet. No US-approved antiviral antibody for this virus was found in the openFDA drug label endpoint.

Approval status is not a treatment recommendation. Dosing and eligibility are on the label and in national guidelines. This page does not give medical advice and does not render dosing. A development stage is not a measure of how well something works.

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Cite this page. Varicella-zoster virus. Vaccine Data Navigator, Open Source Medicine Foundation. Built 9 November 2026 from the ICTV Virus Metadata Resource (MSL41) and NCBI Taxonomy/GenBank. https://vaccinedatanavigator.org/virus-navigator/viruses/varicella-zoster-virus.html

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