Infection with the Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is very common. It causes an infection called chickenpox mostly affecting children and young adults. The same virus stays within the cells of the body and in some cases, it can reactivate to cause shingles in adults. This can be a serious disease especially amongst people living with HIV. There is no vaccine program for people living with HIV under the age of 50 years.

This population group may be more vulnerable to severe shingles than others in the same age group. The SAGE study offers a safe vaccine that is not yet used in the UK, although widely available in USA and mainland Europe for people living with HIV. All consenting and eligible patients will be offered a vaccination visit with the GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Shingrix vaccine. The study will also involve blood tests that will be processed in the research laboratories to test the individuals’ immune system responses to the vaccination.

The study is now active.