OBJECTIVE To quantify both the individual-level and attributable risk of varicella infection requiring medical care in children whose parents refuse varicella immunizations. DESIGN Matched case-control study with conditional logistic regression analysis. SETTING Kaiser Permanente of Colorado (KPCO) health plan between 1998 and 2008. PARTICIPANTS Each pediatric physician-diagnosed case of ...

conclusions in this region, a significant proportion of children are susceptible to vzv, severe varicella and it’s complications at older ages. it is recommended for varicella vaccine to be added to routine childhood vaccination programs and also to be injected to susceptible adolescents. negative history of varicella would be a predictor of varicella antibody status in children and young adult...

BACKGROUND Varicella vaccine currently is recommended for children between 12 and 18 months of age. However, rates of breakthrough varicella have been reported to be higher among children vaccinated before 14 or 15 months of age and to increase with time since vaccination. METHODS An ongoing study at the Northern California Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program is evaluating vaccine efficacy...

V aricella is a highly transmissible disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus, with the most common manifestations being a maculopapular and/or vesicular rash accompanied by a fever. Current vaccination recommendations by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices include the administration of a vaccine for the prevention of varicella in children. Rare cases of ocular disease (sclerok...

OBJECTIVES The implementation of a routine childhood varicella vaccination program in the United States in 1995 has resulted in a dramatic decline in varicella morbidity and mortality. Although disease incidence has decreased, outbreaks of varicella continue to be reported, increasingly in highly vaccinated populations. In 2000, a varicella vaccination requirement was introduced for kindergarte...

Varivax (varicella virus vaccine live [Oka/Merck]; Merck), a live attenuated varicella vaccine, is indicated for vaccination against varicella in appropriate individuals > or =12 months of age. The 10-year safety profile for Varivax is described using data submitted to Merck from routine global postmarketing surveillance, combined with information from a Varicella Zoster Virus Identification Pr...

BACKGROUND The labile nature of live, attenuated varicella-zoster virus (Oka/Merck) requires robust stabilization during virus bulk preparation and vaccine manufacturing in order to preserve potency through storage and administration. One stabilizing ingredient used in a varicella-zoster virus (VZV) vaccine is hydrolyzed porcine gelatin which represents the major protein/peptide-based excipient...

BACKGROUND GSK's varicella vaccine contains human serum albumin (HSA) which is used to stabilize the virus and prevent immunogens from adhering to the injection vial walls. However, because HSA is derived from human blood, there is a theoretical risk that it might contain infectious agents which could be unsafe for humans. Given this concern, a study was undertaken to compare the immunogenicity...

BACKGROUND The influence of providing information about complications of disease and vaccine cost on parental decision to vaccinate against varicella was assessed. METHOD During telephone interviews of 330 parents of infants aged 9 months, parents were asked if they would agree to have their child vaccinated and were presented information first about varicella complications and then about cos...

BACKGROUND Epidemiological studies suggest that reduced exposure to varicella might lead to an increased risk for herpes zoster (HZ). Reduction of exposure to varicella is a consequence of varicella vaccination but also of demographic changes. We analyzed how the combination of vaccination programs and demographic dynamics will affect the epidemiology of varicella and HZ in Germany over the nex...