RZV
Medical abbreviation · Infectious Disease
| Stands for | Recombinant zoster vaccine |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
RZV stands for Recombinant zoster vaccine, an infectious disease abbreviation.
Non-live shingles vaccine (Shingrix) given as two doses two to six months apart to adults 50 and older and to immunocompromised adults 19 and older. It is more than 90 percent effective at preventing shingles and also prevents postherpetic neuralgia.
Example: RZV dose 2 given today; expect sore arm and fatigue for 1–3 days.
Usage notes
Licensed in the US in 2017, it replaced the live zoster vaccine (ZVL, Zostavax), which was discontinued in the US in 2020. People who had shingles or received the older vaccine should still get RZV. Reactions such as fever and muscle aches are common but short-lived. Pronounced as letters.
Related abbreviations
More infectious disease abbreviations
- PPD – Purified protein derivative (tuberculin skin test)
- PPSV23 – 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine
- PrEP – Pre-exposure prophylaxis
- RMSF – Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- RSV – Respiratory syncytial virus
- RVP – Respiratory viral panel
- S. aureus – Staphylococcus aureus
- SARS – Severe acute respiratory syndrome
- SARS-CoV-2 – Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
- SSTI – Skin and soft tissue infection
- STD – Sexually transmitted disease
- STEC – Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli
See all 92 infectious disease abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.