Shingles Vaccination in Lupus: Catalyst Grant Research Study

Shingles vaccination in lupus is an important area of research, particularly for people living with systemic lupus erythematosus who face an increased risk of infection and complications. Research funding programs, such as the Lupus Canada Catalyst Grant, play a critical role in advancing the understanding and treatment of lupus in Canada. The Catalyst Grant facilitates groundbreaking research, enabling scientists and healthcare professionals to explore new concepts, improve diagnostic techniques, develop more effective treatments, and bridge research gaps for both discoid and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

The Lupus Canada Catalyst Grant supports early-stage Canadian researchers in launching innovative research ideas and projects. It is designed to complement, not compete with, traditional funding sources such as the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR).

By investing in promising new research, the Catalyst Grant helps advance knowledge, strengthen future funding applications, and accelerate progress toward improved care and outcomes for people living with lupus.

People with lupus are at especially high risk for shingles, a reactivation of the varicella (chickenpox) virus. Shingles can be prevented with vaccination; however, questions remain about vaccine uptake, immune response, and the potential risk of lupus flares following vaccination.

The goals of this study were to:

• Understand shingles vaccination patterns in adults with lupus

• Assess whether shingles vaccination is associated with lupus flares

• Evaluate immune responses to the shingles vaccine in people living with lupus

In an analysis of 647 adults with lupus, over one quarter (27%) had received at least one shingles vaccine prior to 2023. Following a public health policy change in 2023 that provided free shingles vaccination to immunocompromised adults, shingles vaccination rates in people with lupus increased four-fold.

Preliminary analyses showed that lupus flare rates were not significantly higher during the three-month period following shingles vaccination compared to other periods of follow-up. These findings suggest that shingles vaccination was not associated with a meaningful increase in disease activity in this cohort.

Immune responses to the shingles vaccine were evaluated in 46 participants who had blood samples collected before and after vaccination.

Nearly all participants (98%) demonstrated an immune response to the vaccine, and approximately two-thirds (65%) experienced a four-fold increase in antibody levels from baseline. Immune responses were similar among participants taking immunosuppressive medications and those taking antimalarials only or no lupus medications.

Preliminary analyses did not identify differences in immune response based on vaccine dosing intervals.

Among participants with repeated blood samples collected over time, antibody levels to the shingles virus decreased significantly as time passed following vaccination. Samples collected more than three years after the last vaccine dose showed antibody levels that had declined to pre-vaccination levels.

These findings raise the possibility that protection from shingles may diminish over time in people with lupus, suggesting that booster shingles vaccinations may be needed in the future.

This research was presented at an international rheumatology congress in October 2025 and is currently being prepared for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

Further research will help clarify long-term vaccine protection and inform future vaccination strategies for people living with lupus.

To learn more about the Lupus Canada Catalyst Grant program and explore past and current research initiatives, visit our Research Funding Programs page.