在英国,带状疱疹 (HZ) 的估计年发病率为 3.4 例/1000 人。[4]Hope-Simpson RE. Postherpetic neuralgia. J R Coll Gen Pract. 1975;25:571-575.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2157719/pdf/jroyalcgprac00296-0029.pdfhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1195231?tool=bestpractice.com 有明确的证据表明,发病率随年龄而变,<50 岁人群的发病率为 <2 例/1000 人,而≥80 岁人群的发病率为 11 例/1000 人。荷兰带状疱疹的年发病率为 3.4 例/1000 人,似乎与英国的接近。[5]Opstelten W, Mauritz Jw, de Wit NJ, et al. Herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia: incidence and risk factors using a general practice research database. Fam Pract. 2002;19:471-475.http://fampra.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/19/5/471http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12356697?tool=bestpractice.com 在意大利,>14 岁人群的估计年发病率为 1.4 例/1000 人,而在西班牙的发病率更高,为 8.3 例/1000 人。[6]Di Legami V, Gianino MM, Atti MC, et al. Epidemiology and costs of herpes zoster: background data to estimate the impact of vaccination. Vaccine. 2007;25:7598-7604.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17889410?tool=bestpractice.com[7]Garcia Cenoz M, Castilla J, Montes Y, et al. Varicella and herpes zoster incidence prior to the introduction of systematic child vaccination in Navarre, 2005-2006. An Sist Sanit Navar 2008;31:71-80.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18496581?tool=bestpractice.com 西班牙的大多数病例 (90%) 见于<15 岁的儿童。
在美国,超过 90% 的成人有水痘带状疱疹病毒 (VZV) 感染的血清学证据,因此存在发病风险。[8]Choo PW, Donahue JG, Manson JE, et al. The epidemiology of varicella and its complications. J Infect Dis. 1995 Sep;172(3):706-12.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7658062?tool=bestpractice.com 在美国,免疫功能正常者的发病率为 1.2-3.4 例/1000 人,因此每年有 300,000-500,000 例带状疱疹病例。发病率随着年龄增加而升高,在年龄≥65 岁的群体中,发病率为 3.9-11.8 例/1000 人。[9]Donahue JG, Choo PW, Manson J, et al. The incidence of herpes zoster. Arch Intern Med. 1995;155:1605-1609.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7618983?tool=bestpractice.com[10]Insinga RP, Itzler RF, Pellissier JM, et al. The incidence of herpes zoster in a United States administrative database. J Gen Intern Med. 2005;20:748-753.http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov.libproxy.lib.unc.edu/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed&pubmedid=16050886http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16050886?tool=bestpractice.com 免疫抑制者的发病率也很高:例如,HIV 感染者、恶性肿瘤患者或者接受化疗或皮质类固醇治疗的患者。[11]Buchbinder SP, Katz MH, Hessol NA, et al. Herpes zoster and human immunodeficiency virus infection. J Infect Dis. 1992;166:1153-1156.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1308664?tool=bestpractice.com[12]Alliegro MB, Dorrucci M, Pezzotti P, et al. Herpes zoster and progression to AIDS in a cohort of individuals who seroconverted to human immunodeficiency virus. Italian HIV Seroconversion Study. Clin Infect Dis. 1996;23:990-995.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8922791?tool=bestpractice.com 带状疱疹没有季节变化,而且在世界范围内的发病率似乎无明显差异。患病率没有性别差异,但黑人患带状疱疹的可能性低于其他种族。[13]Schmader K, George LK, Hamilton JD. Racial differences in the occurrence of herpes zoster. J Infect Dis. 1995;171:701-704.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7876622?tool=bestpractice.com 有证据表明,越多的接触机可使儿童获得部分对带状疱疹的免疫力。[14]Brisson M, Gay NJ, Edmunds WJ, et al. Exposure to varicella boosts immunity to herpes-zoster: implications for mass vaccination against chickenpox. Vaccine. 2002;20:2500-2507.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12057605?tool=bestpractice.com