BACKGROUND Vaccine is the most effective way to protect susceptible children from varicella. Few published literature or reports on varicella vaccination of Chinese children exist. Thus, in order to obtain specific information on varicella vaccination of this population, we conducted this survey. METHODOLOGY We first used purposive sampling methods to select 6 provinces 10 counties from easte...

There is limited data on immunity against varicella-zoster virus (VZV) in adults in different parts of Argentina, and it is not known which VZV strains are circulating in Argentina. The objectives of this study were as follows: (i) to evaluate seroprevalence of varicella among adults, assessing the accuracy of clinical history and determining the sociodemographic factors associated with seropos...

In Italy, the introduction of Universal Varicella Vaccination (UVV) has been decided but postponed, as a national programme, until 2015, when data from Regions which have already implemented it will be available. Starting from 2003, eight Italian Regions (Basilicata, Calabria, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Apulia, Sardinia, Sicily, Tuscany and Veneto) have progressively introduced UVV, in their immuni...

BACKGROUND Exposure of immunocompromised children to varicella often requires postexposure prophylaxis. Exposures requiring this management are often not recognized. Varicella can be a severe disease when it occurs in immunocompromised children, in spite of antiviral therapy. Varicella exposure and varicella in these children can also disrupt scheduled therapy for their underlying illness. Both...

Abstract Background: Varicella is a highly contagious and dangerous disease especially in immunocompromised patients. Children with cancer are at increased risk of severe illness and may fatal cases occur. Vaccination from VZV ( varicella zoster vaccine) infection can be safe, immunogenic, and effective in children with leukemia who meet the criteria and are at the risk of serious disea...

BACKGROUND Prior to introduction of universal varicella vaccination, it is crucial to gain insight into the willingness to vaccinate among the population. This is because suboptimal national vaccination coverage might increase the age of infection in children, which will lead to higher complication rates. We studied the attitude and intention to vaccinate against varicella among Dutch public he...

AIM To evaluate the risk factors for breakthrough varicella in a follow up study of a cohort of 181 healthy children immunised when aged 9-24 months with a reformulated Oka strain varicella vaccine (SmithKline Beecham Biologicals/Oka). DESIGN The children were randomised in a double blind manner into one of four groups to receive one of two production lot vaccine batches, at two different tit...

Varicella is highly contagious, with a clinical attack rate of 60%-90% following household exposure of susceptible individuals. It was not a notifiable infectious disease in China, national data on incidence rate and statistics concerning hospitalizations and deaths attributable to varicella were not available until 2005. Since then, varicella has been required to be reported to the National No...

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is a ubiquitous human alphaherpesvirus that causes varicella (chicken pox) and herpes zoster (shingles). Varicella is a common childhood illness, characterized by fever, viremia, and scattered vesicular lesions of the skin. As is characteristic of the alphaherpesviruses, VZV establishes latency in cells of the dorsal root ganglia. Herpes zoster, caused by VZV reacti...

Even though varicella is rare in pregnancy, the disease can lead occasionally to disastrous illnesses for both the mother and her neonate. By contrast, normal zoster is not associated with special problems during pregnancy and perinatal period. Pregnant women, who contract varicella, are at risk of varicella pneumonia which must be regarded as medical emergency. At any stage during pregnancy, c...