Sex: F
Vaccine: VARZOS
Symptoms: Cataract, Cataract operation, Eye inflammation, Foreign body sensation in eyes, Herpes zoster
Clinical narrative: This spontaneous report as received from a 74 year old female patient with high cholesterol and thyroid refers to herself. The patient had no drug reactions/allergies. In 2010 the patient was vaccinated with ZOSTAVAX (subcutaneous, 1 time vaccine, lot # was unknown). Concomitant therapies included acyclovir, prednisone and "simvastatin (20 mg per day)". In March 2011 the patient got shingles in her left eye. The outcome of event was unknown. The patient sought medical attention and received treatment of time law pressure drop for eye. No lab diagnosis studies performed. Follow up information has been received from the consumer who in approximately December 2009, "about 3-4 years ago in December", got the shingles immunization with her husband. The consumer reported that then in approximately March 2010, "in March or Aril of the following year, her left eye got blurry and felt as if something lived in it. The consumer stated that then she went to the doctor and she said she had shingles in her eye. The physician thought that the consumer did not need prednisolone because she already had immunity having the disease. The consumer told her friend, and she said that she could got shingles more than once. The consumer then called the physician and he prescribed her the prednisolone but he did not give her acyclovir. Her eye problem persisted, so she went to an eye doctor. The consumer reported that her eye pressure was 70 and it should have been 12-22 (normal). The eye doctor did not let her leave the office until she got it down to normal with drops and pills or she could then went blind. The consumer stated that then she had a cataract in that eye as well. The doctor would not operate on it due to the active shingles virus. After many doctors, a doctor thought it was safe to operate taking the cataract off that left eye. The consumer stated that she still see the eye doctor every 2 months to check on the eye pressure and inflammation. The consumer stated that she would take 400 mg of acyclovir for the shingles and timolol (manufacturer unknown) for the eye pressure. At the time of the report, the outcome for shingles and eye pressure was reported as not recovered and the outcome for cataract and eye inflammation was unknown. Follow-up (F/U) information was received on 14-MAY-2018 from a lawyer regarding a case in litigation concerning a 74 year old female patient. On or about 13-DEC-2008, the patient was inoculated at a pharmacy with the ZOSTAVAX (lot number, dosage, and route of administration not provided), as recommended for routine adult health maintenance and for the prevention of shingles. ZOSTAVAX did not prevent shingles as intended, and the patient subsequently contracted a persistent strain of herpes zoster. On or about 27-SEP-2008 (conflicting information: prior to vaccination date), the patient was treated for a persistent and severe vesicular rash, which was diagnosed as herpes zoster. The patient was prescribed LEVOXYL, acyclovir, and MEDROL for management of her painful symptoms and chronic pain. As a direct and proximate result of the ZOSTAVAX and/or despite receiving 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 has suffered and will continue to suffer significant medical expenses, and pain and suffering, and other damages. The outcome of the events is unknown. Upon internal review, got shingles in her left eye and cataract were determined to be medically significant. Additional information has been requested. Sender's Comments: MERCK 1302USA012532: Mfr number.