Summary: Shingles is an infectious disease caused by human herpes virus type 3 (HHV 3). Shingles (herpes zoster, HZ) affects about 1 in 3 people, and the risk of developing the disease increases with age. The most common, debilitating complication of shingles is the chronic neuropathic pain (post herpetic neuralgy, PHN). There are currently two vaccines for the prevention of herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia in adults: the live attenuated varicella-zoster vaccine (zoster vaccine live, ZVL, Zostavax, Merck) and the recombinant subunit vaccine adjuvanted with the virus glycoprotein E (gE) (GE) (recombinant zoster vaccine, (RZV, Shingrix, GlaxoSmithKline). A recombinant vaccine is registered and available in Poland. The recombinant shingles vaccine (RZV) is more effective at preventing shingles than the live shingles vaccine (ZVL). The virus in the recombinant shingles vaccine does not replicate and therefore the vaccine is safe for immunocompromised people. The safety and efficacy of the RZV vaccine (Shingrix) has been demonstrated in clinical trials in immunocompetent adults and selected immunocompromised individuals and individuals with immune-mediated diseases. Other shingles vaccines are in various phases of clinical trials.