What is the varicella vaccine?


Varicella virus causes chickenpox and varicella zoster virus or VZV causes chickenpox and shingles. Before the vaccine was made available, chickenpox was one of the most common childhood diseases and the peak age of this disease was in children under ten. Chickenpox is a contagious airborne infection that spreads from coughing, sneezing or contact with the blisters in the rash. It often begins with a fever, followed by a pruritic rash that starts at the face and spreads all over the body. Typically, there can be 300-500 blisters easily during a single infection. The blisters will crust over and fall off in a week to two weeks. Older children and adults often have a worse attack and scarring of the skin than younger babies. Usually chickenpox is mild unless complications develop, of which the most common complication is infection of the blisters by bacteria. Chickenpox can also cause pneumonia and brain infection but fortunately the tendency of that happening is rather low.

Children with weak immunity or babies born to mothers with the infection or on the verge of infection will end up with a more severe attack than other children. Medication should be started early on to have any effect on the disease. The vaccine is a live but weakened virus given after babies turn one. It is considered very safe and usually well-tolerated. However chickenpox can occur in vaccinated children but the disease is much milder than the full blown chickenpox. Though mild, the infection results in children having to miss school for at least a week. The vaccine is not perfect but since its use, there are fewer cases of hospitalizations, fewer visits to clinics and generally an improved situation. Though there is an overall improvement in the numbers, it is still advisable to get your child vaccinated.

Dose: Available vaccines are Varivax and ProQuad (MMRV- combined with Varicella Virus Vaccine Live). 1st dose between 12-15 months with the booster after 4 years of age