Global incidence of herpes zoster (HZ) is increasing; however, there is a lack of literature reviews evaluating the burden of disease of HZ in Southeast Asia.

Considering this, a systematic literature review was conducted to provide an up-to-date, comprehensive overview of the available data on the epidemiology, clinical management, and health economics of HZ in six countries in Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

There were substantial gaps in the literature reporting the nationwide incidence, prevalence, and economic toll of HZ in Southeast Asia, both in individual age groups and among vulnerable populations.

However, the abundance of clinical case reports highlighting numerous symptoms and the severity of complications across health centers suggests HZ healthcare resource utilization is substantial in the region.

Further research is needed to determine the disease awareness in the general population and healthcare professionals, as well as its impact in Southeast Asian societies to inform future strategies for HZ prevention.