National varicella immunization coverage using the current 1-dose immunization strategy has increased among vaccine-eligible children 19 through 35 months of age from 27% in 1997 to 88% by 2005. These high immunization rates have resulted in a 71% to 84% decrease in the reported number of varicella cases, an 88% decrease in varicella-related hospitalizations, a 59% decrease in varicellarelated ...

National varicella immunization coverage using the current 1-dose immunization strategy has increased among vaccine-eligible children 19 through 35 months of age from 27% in 1997 to 88% by 2005. These high immunization rates have resulted in a 71% to 84% decrease in the reported number of varicella cases, an 88% decrease in varicella-related hospitalizations, a 59% decrease in varicellarelated ...

In a cooperative agreement starting January 1995, prior to the FDA's licensure of the varicella vaccine on March 17, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded the Los Angeles Department of Health Services' Antelope Valley Varicella Active Surveillance Project (AV-VASP). Since only varicella case reports were gathered, baseline incidence data for herpes zoster (HZ) or shingles ...

CONTEXT Before licensure of varicella vaccine in 1995, varicella was a universal childhood disease in the United States, causing 4 million cases, 11,000 hospitalizations, and 100 deaths every year. OBJECTIVE To examine population-based disease surveillance data in 3 communities to document the impact of the varicella vaccination program. DESIGN, SETTING, AND SUBJECTS Active surveillance for...

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the varicella immunization practices of physicians in Rochester, NY, and to identify factors that predict whether physicians administer varicella vaccine to children. DESIGN Evaluation of a 40-item survey addressing varicella immunization practices and opinions about varicella immunization that was sent to 241 pediatricians and family physicians. RESULTS A total of 17...

Varicella vaccine, a live, attenuated strain of varicella-zoster virus, was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in March 1995. In July 1996, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published its guidelines for prevention of varicella and recommended routine use of varicella vaccine for infants 12 to 18 months of age as...

Varicella zoster virus (VZV) causes two diseases: Varicella, a generalized, primary infection, and herpes zoster (zoster), a secondary infection caused by latent VZV reactivation. Zoster can also be caused by latent VZV reactivation after a varicella vaccination. The complications associated with varicella include cutaneous infections, which are the most common, as well as pulmonary and neurolo...

We analyzed varicella surveillance data in Connecticut for 2001-2005, to describe the epidemiology of varicella in a highly vaccinated population after the introduction of varicella vaccine and to determine the number of preventable cases that had occurred during school-related outbreaks. Overall, the incidence of varicella did not change during the surveillance period. Vaccination rates among ...

BACKGROUND Since July 2004, routine varicella vaccination is recommended by the German Standing Vaccination Committee in Germany. Health Insurance Funds started to cover vaccination costs at different time points between 2004 and 2006 in the Federal States. Nationwide representative data on vaccination coverage against varicella of children under two years of age are not available. We aimed to ...

INTRODUCTION Varicella zoster virus (VZV) is the etiological agent of varicella and herpes zoster (HZ). It has been hypothesised that immune boosting of latently infected persons by contact with varicella reduces the probability of HZ. If true, universal varicella vaccination may increase HZ incidence due to reduced VZV circulation. To inform decision-making, we conduct cost-effectiveness analy...