Hidden Burden, Shared Risk:
Understanding Herpes Zoster and RSV in Patients with Comorbidities
15 September 2026
Dr Wong Tin Yau, Andrew
MBBS(HK), MPH (Johns Hopkins), MSc Infect Dis LSHTM (Lond), DTM&H(Lond), Dip GU Medicine (Lond), PG Dip ClinDerm (QMUL), FRCP (UK), FFPH(UK), FHKAM (Medicine)
Herpes Zoster lecture abstract
As the prevalence of chronic diseases continues to rise, clinicians are increasingly managing patients whose cumulative health burden extends beyond their primary diagnosis. Herpes zoster (shingles) represents a clinically significant yet often overlooked consequence of impaired immune resilience associated with common comorbidities, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, chronic respiratory conditions, and autoimmune disorders. Emerging evidence suggests that the impact of shingles in these populations extends beyond acute infection, with potential implications for healthcare utilization, functional decline, and disease management.
This lecture will examine shingles through the lens of comorbidity-driven risk, challenging conventional approaches to prevention that may overlook vulnerable patient populations. By exploring the interplay between aging, chronic disease, immune dysfunction, and preventive care, the session will highlight evolving evidence on disease burden, risk stratification, and prevention strategies in clinical practice. The discussion aims to reframe shingles prevention as an integral component of comprehensive chronic disease management, bringing a broader perspective to patient care across multiple specialties.
Dr Wong King Ying
B.Sc (Hons), MBBS (HK), FHKAM (Medicine), FHKCP, FRCP (Edin), FRCP (Glasg)
RSV lecture abstract
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is increasingly recognized as a significant cause of respiratory illness in adults, particularly among older adults and individuals with underlying medical conditions. While RSV has long been associated primarily with pediatric disease, accumulating evidence has demonstrated a substantial burden of RSV-associated hospitalization, morbidity, and mortality in adult populations. Patients with comorbidities such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and immunocompromising conditions face an increased risk of severe disease, complications, and exacerbations of existing illnesses.
Beyond its direct clinical impact, RSV contributes substantially to healthcare resource utilization and places considerable strain on healthcare systems. Recent epidemiological and real-world studies have further expanded our understanding of RSV-related outcomes, highlighting its often underrecognized burden and the influence of comorbidities on disease severity. This lecture will review the evolving evidence on RSV in adults, explore the relationship between comorbidities and clinical outcomes, and discuss the growing recognition of RSV as an important public health challenge requiring greater awareness and improved disease surveillance.
Dr Wong Tin Yau, Andrew
MBBS(HK), MPH (Johns Hopkins), MSc Infect Dis LSHTM (Lond), DTM&H(Lond), Dip GU Medicine (Lond), PG Dip ClinDerm (QMUL), FRCP (UK), FFPH(UK), FHKAM (Medicine)
Specialist in Infectious Disease
Dr Wong King Ying
B.Sc (Hons), MBBS (HK), FHKAM (Medicine), FHKCP, FRCP (Edin), FRCP (Glasg)
Specialist in Respiratory Medicine