Decreased absolute numbers of CD3+ T cells and CD8+ T cells during aging in herpes zoster patients

Herpes zoster (HZ) is an infectious dermatosis with high incidence worldwide. Age is a key risk factor for HZ, and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is the main sequelae. Until now, no index has been available to predict the pathogenesis of PHN, and rare reports have focused on the immune response during aging and PHN. In this study, we selected immunoglobulin and complement proteins as markers for humoral immunity, while T lymphocyte subsets and natural killer (NK) cells were selected as markers for cell immunity, to systematically study the characteristics of immune responses in the peripheral blood of HZ patients. Our data showed that the absolute number of CD3(+) T cells and CD8(+) T cells decreased during aging and PHN. This implies that more attention should be paid to prevent the occurrence of PHN, especially in the aged population.