The shingles vaccine may not work properly for people with untreated depression, researchers have warned.
Research in California, USA, found that these patients were "poorly protected" by the vaccine.
Researchers studied 40 patients over the age of 60 suffering from major depression, comparing the impact of the vaccine and a placebo over periods of up to two years.
They found that when patients received treatment for depression their immune system protection against shingles improved.
The findings have been reported in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Researcher Dr Michael Irwin, of the University of California-Los Angeles, said: "Efforts are needed to identify and diagnose depressed elderly patients who might benefit from either a more potent vaccine or a multi-dose vaccination schedule."
Varicella Zoster Virus–Specific Immune Responses to a Herpes Zoster Vaccine in Elderly Recipients With Major Depression and the Impact of Antidepressant Medications. Clinical Infectious Diseases 14 February 2014
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