OBJECTIVES To determine the rate of self-reported adherence by pediatricians to the 1995 American Academy of Pediatrics and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices varicella immunization recommendations and to evaluate factors that might influence adherence. DESIGN Mail survey. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS Washington State pediatricians. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Logistic regression was u...

OBJECTIVE Varicella breakthrough, the occurrence of varicella disease >42 days after vaccination, is indicative of vaccination failure. A sevenfold increased risk of breakthrough among vaccinated children with asthma was observed in a 1996 varicella outbreak in a child care center. More recent outbreak investigations have also identified age at vaccination as a potential risk factor for breakth...

Because of the severe complications that may result from varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection following renal transplantation (Tx), transplanted varicella-susceptible children exposed to varicella are typically given varicella zoster immunoglobulin (VZIG) as prophylaxis or are admitted and treated with parenteral acyclovir if VZIG prophylaxis fails. As both VZIG and hospitalization are costly...

Vaccination of healthy children against varicella using the live attenuated Oka vaccine has been available in Japan and south Korea for several years. In 1996, a programme of universal vaccination of children to prevent varicella was introduced in the USA and other countries, including Canada, Germany, and Sweden, have licensed the vaccine for use in healthy children. This article reviews the o...

1. Liang MG, Heidelberg KA, Jacobson RM, McEvoy MT. Herpes zoster after varicella immunization. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1998;38:761--3. 2. Uebe B, Sauerbrei A, Burdach S, Horneff G. Herpes zoster by reactivated vaccine varicella zoster virus in a healthy child. Eur J Pediatr. 2002;161:442--4. 3. Krause PR, Klinman DM. Varicella vaccination: Evidence for frequent reactivation of the vaccine strain i...

BACKGROUND Live attenuated varicella vaccines for the prevention of varicella (chickenpox) has been demonstrated both in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and in population-based immunisation programmes in countries such as the United States. However, many countries do not routinely immunise children against varicella, and exposures continue to occur. Although the disease is often mild, compl...

Varicella (chickenpox) is a highly contagious disease caused by varicella zoster virus (VZV). After infection, the virus remains dormant in sensory dorsal root ganglia. Reactivation of latent VZV is associated with cutaneous disease occurring in $1 dermatomes, termed herpes zoster (HZ). Historically, HZ has been considered significantly less infectious than varicella and has not been thought to...

BACKGROUND Varicella vaccine was licensed in the United States in 1995 for individuals ≥12 months of age. A second dose was recommended in the United States in June 2006. Varicella incidence and vaccine effectiveness were assessed in a 14-year prospective study conducted at Kaiser Permanente Northern California. METHODS A total of 7585 children vaccinated with varicella vaccine in their secon...

Both varicella and herpes zoster (HZ) can cause severe disease in certain age groups. The cell-mediated immune (CMI) response to the varicella zoster virus (VZV) is critical in preventing a recurrence of VZV. The varicella vaccine has markedly decreased the morbidity and mortality associated with varicella, but concerns linger about the cost and frequency of vaccine administration and the long-...

BACKGROUND The authors sought to monitor the impact of widespread varicella vaccination on the epidemiology of varicella and herpes zoster. While varicella incidence would be expected to decrease, mathematical models predict an initial increase in herpes zoster incidence if re-exposure to varicella protects against reactivation of the varicella zoster virus. METHODS In 1998-2003, as varicella...