Viewer Question:
Can you give me some facts about chickenpox?
Answer:
No problem. Here goes:
- Chickenpox is caused by the varicella zoster virus.
- Chickenpox is usually mild but it may be severe in infants,
adults and persons with an impaired immune system.
- Almost everyone gets chickenpox by adulthood.
- Chickenpox
is highly contagious.
- The virus spread from person to person by direct contact, or
through the air.
- Approximately 90% of persons in a household who have not had
chickenpox will get it if exposed to an infected family member.
- Chickenpox develops within 10-21 days after contact with an
infected person.
- Chickenpox has a characteristic itchy rash which forms blisters
that dry and become scabs in 45 days. An infected person may have
anywhere from only a few lesions to more than 500 blisters on their
body during an attack (average 300-400).
- The rash may be the first sign of illness, sometimes coupled with
fever and general malaise ("feeling lousy"), especially in
adults.
- Chickenpox is contagious 12 days before the rash appears and
until all blisters have formed scabs.
- Adults are more likely to have a more serious case of chickenpox
with a higher rate of complications and death.
- Every year there are approximately 5,0009,000 hospitalizations
and 100 deaths from chickenpox in the United States.
- Varicella vaccine has been available since March 1995, and is
approved for use in healthy children 12 months of age or older, and
susceptible (i.e., no evidence of having had chickenpox in the past)
adolescents and adults.
- Varicella vaccine is highly effective in protecting against
severe chickenpox.
- Cases of disease due to the natural virus that may occur in a
small proportion of vaccinees (people who have had the vaccine) are
typically very mild with less than 50 skin blisters and no
fever.
- More than 6 million doses of varicella vaccine have been given
since it was licensed in March 1995.
- It is recommended that all children be routinely vaccinated at 12-
18 months of age and that all susceptible children receive the
vaccine before their 13th birthday.
- The vaccine is also approved for susceptible adolescents and
adults especially those with close contact with persons at high risk
for serious complications (e.g., healthcare workers, family contacts
of immunocompromised persons).
- A history of chickenpox is considered adequate evidence of
immunity.
- A blood test is available to test immunity in persons who are
uncertain of their history or who have not had chickenpox. Many of
these persons will find that they are immune when tested and thus
will not need to be vaccinated.
- Effective medications (e.g., acyclovir) are available to treat
chickenpox in healthy and immunocompromised persons (e.g, those with
cancers, HIV/AIDS, receiving medications that depress the immune
system).
- Varicella zoster immune globulin (VZIG), a type of immune
globulin made from plasma from healthy, volunteer blood donors with
high levels of antibody to the varicella zoster virus, is recommended
after exposure for persons at high risk for complications (e.g.,
immunocompromised persons, pregnant women, premature infants <28
weeks gestation or < 1000 grams at birth and premature infants whose
mothers are not immune).
These facts about chickenpox are based on information from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Last Editorial Review: 7/7/2004
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