Age: 76.0
Sex: F
Vaccine: VARZOS
Symptoms: Grip strength decreased, Herpes zoster, Musculoskeletal stiffness, Nerve injury, Pain in extremity
Clinical narrative: has nerve damage from the vaccine; she cannot close her hand to make a fist because of stiffness and pain.; other zoster related injuries; The vaccine did not prevent shingles as intended; pain in her "little finger and ring finger"/ pain in hand; almost immediately developed a Zoster-like rash on her arms and wrists/physician who confirmed she had developed shingles; she doesn't have strength enough in her hand to grip things, and has also had to see a neurosurgeon as a result; Information has been received from a 76 years old female patient referring to herself. Her medical history, concurrent conditions and concomitant medications were not reported.  In September 2015, the patient was vaccinated with a dose of zoster vaccine live (ZOSTAVAX), subcutaneously for shingles prevention (strength, dose, dose #, lot # and application site were not reported), and in September 2015, reported as "almost immediately", the patient developed a zoster like rash. The patient stated she went to her primary physician who confirmed she had developed shingles. The patient also stated that she was not only still had the zoster-like rash on her arms and wrists, but she also had pain in her "little finger and ring finger" (unspecified left or right hand). The patient stated she did not have strength enough in her hand to grip things, and had also had to see a neurosurgeon as a result (onset date unknown).  It was unspecified whether lab diagnostic studies were performed. The patient was given unspecified pain medications to treat the events. The outcome of the events was reported as not recovered/not resolved. The causality was not reported.   Follow up information has been received from the patient on 02-MAR-2016, stating the her neurologist told her that she had nerve damage from the vaccine and she also mentioned she still had pain. Additionally, she added that she cannot close her hand to make a fist because of stiffness and the pain in her hand. No product quality complaint was involved. The outcome of the events continued to be not recovered. The causality was not reported.   Follow up information has been received from a lawyer regarding a case in litigation concerning a 76 years old female patient on 25-JAN-2021. In 2013 (conflicting information, also reported as September 2015), the patient was vaccinated with a dose of zoster vaccine live (ZOSTAVAX) as recommended for routine adult health maintenance and for the long-term prevention of shingles and zoster-related conditions at a pharmacy. The vaccine did not prevent shingles as intended and subsequently the patient contracted a persistent strain of herpes zoster or shingles. In 2015 (also reported as almost immediately after September 2015), the patient was treated by a physician for the onset of a vesicular rash, which was diagnosed as herpes zoster or shingles. The patient was also treated for other zoster related injuries resulting from zoster vaccine live (ZOSTAVAX) use on an unknown date. As a direct and proximate result of the zoster vaccine live (ZOSTAVAX) vaccine, and/or despite receiving zoster vaccine live (ZOSTAVAX) for long-term prevention of shingles, the patient suffered painful injuries and damages, and required extensive medical care and treatment. As a further proximate result, the patient had suffered and would continue to suffer significant medical expenses, and pain and suffering, and other damages. The outcome of shingles, vaccination failure and other zoster related injuries was not reported. The reporter considered all events to be related to zoster vaccine live (ZOSTAVAX).  It has been determined that case # US-009507513-2003USA007047 is a duplicate of case # US-009507513-1601USA007106. Therefore, case # US-009507513-2003USA007047 is being deleted from our files and the cases are consolidated into case # US-009507513-1601USA007106.