In this systematic review and descriptive meta-analysis, the authors examined the post-licensure estimates of varicella vaccine effectiveness (VE) among healthy children. Publications that reported original data on dosespecific varicella VE among immunocompetent children were included. Random effects meta-analysis models were used to obtain pooled one dose VE estimates by disease severity (all ...

Background Varicella is a viral disease which can be easily prevented through vaccination. In European Union the surveillance systems for varicella and herpes zoster are highly heterogeneous or absent and seventeen countries have recommendations on varicella vaccination. In Romania varicella vaccination is not included in the National Immunization Program (NIP), although a major number of cases...

This topic will review the pathogenesis, epidemiology, risk factors for, clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of VZV vasculopathy. The major clinical manifestations and complications of chickenpox and herpes zoster are discussed separately. (See "Epidemiology of varicella-zoster virus infection: Chickenpox" and "Treatment of varicella-zoster virus infection: Chickenpox" and "Vaccination ...

BACKGROUND The reported cases with varicella have not decreased and outbreaks of varicella among vaccinated children continue to be reported 9 years after the public vaccination program in Taipei. We investigated an outbreak to determine varicella vaccine coverage and effectiveness. METHODS An outbreak occurred in an elementary school which located in southern Taipei from April 2007 through M...

Varicella is a nearly ubiquitous acquired childhood disease. Infectious complications of varicella can be life- or limb-threatening. These complications appear 3 to 4 days after the appearance of varicella exanthem and are heralded by fever, pain, and erythema of the overlying skin. Airway complications of varicella are rare, rapidly evolving, and, unfortunately, difficult to visualize. We repo...

BACKGROUND Varicella pneumonia has been studied extensively in adults; it may also affect children and may require hospitalization. METHODS We examined pneumonia complications in children hospitalized for varicella, over a 13 year period. RESULTS Pneumonia occurred in 8.2% of children hospitalized for varicella. The median length of hospitalization was 6 days. No statistically significant d...

The aim was to determine the rate of varicella infection and complications in children with disorders of intermediary metabolism (IEM) between the ages of 1 and 16 years attending our national metabolic referral centre. Of 126 children identified, a response was received from 122. A history of previous varicella infection was identified in 64 cases (53%) and of varicella vaccination in 5 (4%). ...

      Varicella is a common and worldwide disease in childhood. It causes primary (chickenpox) and latent infection that may lead to a reactivation disease called zoster (shingles). Zoster or shingles is caused by reactivation of the virus that has been latent in the spinal dorsal ganglion and may occur even in immunocompetent hosts. Although zoster is rare in children, it ma...

BACKGROUND Little is known about the impact of the recent varicella vaccine shortage. To assess the temporal trend in varicella vaccine administration before 18 and 24 months of age in a community cohort of children prior to, during and after the recent varicella vaccine shortage. And to compare the temporal trends in varicella vaccinations to trends of an older, more widely accepted vaccine, t...

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 varicella-related...