Research Progress on Varicella-Zoster Virus Vaccines
Hongjing Liu,
Lingyan Cui,
Sibo Zhang,
Hong Wang,
Wenhui Xue,
Hai Li,
Yuyun Zhang,
Lin Chen,
Ying Gu,
Tingting Li,
Ningshao Xia,
Shaowei Li
Affiliations
Hongjing Liu
State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, School of Public Health, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
Lingyan Cui
State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, School of Public Health, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
Sibo Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, School of Public Health, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
Hong Wang
State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, School of Public Health, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
Wenhui Xue
State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, School of Public Health, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
Hai Li
State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, School of Public Health, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
Yuyun Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, School of Public Health, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
Lin Chen
State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, School of Public Health, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
Ying Gu
State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, School of Public Health, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
Tingting Li
State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, School of Public Health, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
Ningshao Xia
State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, School of Public Health, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
Shaowei Li
State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, School of Public Health, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) poses significant public health challenges as the etiological agent of varicella (chickenpox) and herpes zoster (HZ), given its high transmissibility and potential for severe complications. The introduction of VZV vaccines—particularly the vOka-based live attenuated and glycoprotein gE-based recombinant subunit vaccines—has substantially reduced the global incidence of these diseases. However, live attenuated vaccines raise concerns regarding safety and immunogenicity, especially in immunocompromised populations, while recombinant subunit vaccines, such as Shingrix, exhibit high efficacy but are associated with side effects and adjuvant limitations. Recent advancements in vaccine technology, including mRNA vaccines, viral vector vaccines, and virus-like particle (VLP) vaccines, offer promising alternatives with improved safety profiles and durable immunity. This review synthesizes current knowledge on VZV vaccine mechanisms, clinical applications, and immunization strategies, while also examining future directions in vaccine development. The findings underscore the pivotal role of VZV vaccines in disease prevention and highlight the need for continued research to enhance their public health impact.
