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Varicella

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Chickenpox is very contagious. If one person has it, up to 90% of the people close to that person who are not immune will also become infected. Chickenpox can also be serious, even life-threatening, especially in babies, adolescents, adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems. Before the vaccine was available, about 4 million people got chickenpox each year in the United States, over 10,500 of those people were hospitalized, and about 100-150 people died.

Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). It can cause an itchy, blister-like rash. The rash appears first on the chest, back, and face, and then spreads over the entire body.

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Learn more about chickenpox, a highly contagious disease caused by varicella-zoster virus (VZV). It can cause an itchy, blister-like rash.

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Causative Agent (Varicella - Zoster Virus):

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Causative Agent (Varicella - Zoster Virus):

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The Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) spreads quickly and is highly contagious to unvaccinated people. An estimated 90% of unvaccinated or unimmune people close to an infected person will also become infected. When someone has been infected by the VZV and develops chickenpox, they develop an immunity for life (it is possible to have chicken pox twice, but it is uncommon). Uniquely, VZV lays dormant in the body until later in life where it is expressed as shingles.  (Image from: Dimensions of Dental Hygiene)

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It takes about 2 weeks or between 10 – 21 days for a person to develop chickenpox or exhibit symptoms of chickenpox. Typical symptoms appear one to two days before rash, including fever, tiredness, loss of appetite, and headache. Chickenpox is usually accompanied by itchy fluid filled red blister that eventually dries and turns into scabs. People that have been vaccinated against chickenpox can still be infected by chicken pox but often display milder symptoms and have less persistent lesions and blisters. People that are immune compromised or have a weakened immune system may experience more severe symptoms and complications. (Information from: CDC.gov-Chickenpox)

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People at high risk include infants, adolescents, people who are pregnant, individuals with a weakened immune system. People with a weakened immune system may include (people with HIV/AIDS, cancer, recipients of transplants, and people on chemotherapy. More severe complications cause bacterial infections (Group A streptococcal infections), pneumonia, encephalitis, hemorrhagic complications, dehydration and bloodstream infections. Deaths are very rare now due to the vaccine, but hospitalizations can happen in severe circumstances. (Information from: CDC.gov-Chickenpox)

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Due to the onset of itchy red blisters with chickenpox, it can be easily diagnosed by a physician. Other ways to diagnose chickenpox include lab tests, tissue study or samples of affected skin. Most physicians are able to diagnose chickenpox by just looking at the rash of red bumps that will appear. Physicians may also ask if you have been exposed to others with chickenpox and often isolate you from other patients. (Information from: CDC.gov-Chickenpox)

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Most treatments for chickenpox include at home symptom management and itch relief. Itch relief can include using calamine lotion, uncooked or colloidal oatmeal and a cool bath. Try to minimize scratching to prevent skin infections and spreading the virus to others. A big note when treating chickenpox is to not take aspirin or aspirin containing products. It has been observed that children with chickenpox that have been given aspirin can develop Reye’s syndrome. Reye’s syndrome is a severe disease, affecting the liver, brain and can result in death. It is recommended to use non-aspirin medications like acetaminophen. Ibuprofen has been associated with life-threatening bacterial skin infections. (Information from: CDC.gov-Chickenpox)

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One of the best forms of prevention for chickenpox is to get the varicella vaccine. Children, adolescents and adults should receive 2 doses of the varicella vaccine. The varicella vaccine has been proven to be safe and effect at preventing chickenpox. Vaccinated people that become infected with chickenpox have more mild and less severe symptoms of chickenpox. Since the varicella vaccination program, there has been a 97% decrease in chickenpox cases.  (Information from: CDC.gov-Chickenpox)

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People before the vaccine would hold “chickenpox parties” where they would bring their children to an infected person’s house. The goal was to have the child get infected and get chickenpox, in hopes they would attain a level of immunity from chickenpox. (Information from: Harvard Health Publishing)

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Chickenpox, Causes, Signs and Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment.

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Sophia Hambleton: Great North Children's Hospital

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Sophia Hambleton: Great North Children's Hospital

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Professor Sophie Hambleton has many published articles detailing the importance of vaccination and how those vaccinations have improved chickenpox infection rates.

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Professor Sophie Hambleton

Professor of Paediatrics and Immunology, Honorary Consultant in Paediatric Immunology & Infectious Diseases, Immunity and Inflammation Theme Lead, & Deputy Dean, Translational and Clinical Research Institute

Newcastle University

Great North Children's Hospital
sophie.hambleton@ncl.ac.uk University profile

Contributing to research themes:

Sophie Hambleton is a clinician scientist who leads the Primary Immunodeficiency Group at Newcastle University and plays an active part in the paediatric immunology service at the Great North Children's Hospital. Her group studies the molecular basis of novel inborn errors of the immune system, with a focus on susceptibility to intracellular pathogens and immune dysregulation. Their discoveries include isolated viral susceptibility arising from defective type I interferon signalling, the first examples of dendritic cell deficiency in humans, and novel monogenic causes of complex autoimmunity and combined immunodeficiency in childhood.

Sophie has been an enthusiastic adopter of next generation sequencing and she leads the Genomics England Clinical Interpretation Partnership for Immune Disorders.

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Professor Sophie Hambleton Professor of Paediatrics and Immunology, Honorary Consultant in Paediatric Immunology & Infectious Diseases, Immunity and Inflammation Theme Lead, & Deputy Dean, Translational and Clinical Research Institute Newcastle University Great North Children's Hospital sophie.hambleton@ncl.ac.uk University profile Contributing to research themes: Sophie Hambleton is a clinician scientist who leads the Primary Immunodeficiency Group at Newcastle University and plays an active part in the paediatric immunology service at the Great North Children's Hospital.

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(Provided by: https://www.cdc.gov/chickenpox/vaccination-program-impact.html)

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CDC Chickenpox: Chickenpox (Varicella) | CDC

Harvard Health Publishing: Chickenpox (Varicella) - Harvard Health

PubMed: Global impact of varicella vaccination programs - PubMed (nih.gov)

CDC Vaccination Program: U.S. Chickenpox Vaccination Program | CDC

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Emerging Successes in Chickenpox Vaccination:

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Emerging Successes in Chickenpox Vaccination:

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According to the PubMed article "Global impact of varicella vaccination programs", it is found that a single dose of the Varicella Vaccine provides an effectiveness against chickenpox of around 76% to 85%. This will reach close to 100% after two doses have been given. It is also found that hospitalization with chickenpox is down 95%.