THE CONTINUOUS INCREASE OF HERPES ZOSTER CASES IN BRAZIL RELATED TO THE COVID-19 ERA

OBJECTIVES: With the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the world, clinical and epidemiological evidence of the occurrence and increase in the number of herpes zoster (HZ) continues to be discussed, but the real association between this disease is not well established. The aim of this study was to compare the data on the number of HZ diagnoses from the pre-pandemic period with the pandemic period, as well update the data from the second half of the pandemic and verify whether HZ disease control measures were effective in the following months. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive and incidence rate adjusted per million population analysis were performed based on data extracted from the public database of Brazil's Ministry of Health (DATASUS). RESULTS: There was a consistent and significant increase in the incidence rate of HZ cases throughout Brazil between first and second pandemic periods and between the pre-pandemic and the second pandemic periods. CONCLUSION: This new data suggest that measures to control the increase in HZ cases in the first pandemic period were not effective. Thus, larger clinical studies are needed to better understand the relationship between these two conditions and find measures to enhance the control.