Chickenpox (varicella)
Highly effective live vaccines: Varilrix, Varivax, Barycela.
Transmission
Through the respiratory tract by droplets and by direct contact with fluid from broken blisters.
Symptoms
Fever and a rash of clear blisters that turn cloudy, intense itching, appearing in several crops all over the body.
Complications
Skin infections leaving deep pitted scars, varicella pneumonia (10–30% fatal), encephalitis, Reye syndrome, shingles later in life.
People at high risk
Children, adults who have never had chickenpox, pregnant women (risk of congenital varicella in the baby).
Preventive vaccines
- ProQuad – Measles–mumps–rubella–varicella vaccine (MMRV)
- Varilrix – GSK live varicella vaccine
- Barycela – Live attenuated varicella vaccine (MAV/06)
- Varicella Vaccine-GCC – Live attenuated varicella vaccine
- Varivax – MSD live varicella vaccine