Download Chickenpox Vaccine After Exposure

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Prompt Vaccination Reduces Chickenpox Risk After Exposure
Given Within Five Days, Varicella Vaccine Can Prevent or Reduce Disease Severity
Philadelphia, Pa. (Date) – For people who haven't had chickenpox and are exposed to an ill family member, getting
vaccinated within five days can reduce the risk of developing chickenpox—or at least reduce the severity of
disease, reports a study in the January issue of The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. The journal is published
by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business
intelligence for students, professionals, and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health, and pharmacy.
"Available varicella vaccines administered within 5 days after exposure to chickenpox are effective in preventing
chickenpox and highly effective in attenuating the disease," concludes the study by Dr. Maria Brotons and colleagues of
Hospital Universitario Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona.
Postexposure Prophylaxis is 60 Percent Effective in Preventing Chickenpox
The researchers analyzed their experience with "postexposure prophylaxis"—giving chickenpox (varicella) vaccine after
exposure to the disease—in 67 patients. The patients, including 21 children, were exposed to a family member with
chickenpox. All patients received commercially available chickenpox vaccine within five days after exposure, most
within three days.
Because they had not had chickenpox or received the chickenpox vaccine, the patients were at high risk of developing
chickenpox. Their lack of immunity was confirmed by serologic studies. Based on past studies, it was estimated that
58 of the 67 patients would get sick after being exposed to chickenpox.
However, only 22 patients developed disease after being vaccinated. Thus vaccination after exposure was about 62
percent effective in preventing chickenpox.
When chickenpox did develop, it was mild to moderate in all cases. Vaccination was estimated to be 79 percent
effective in preventing moderate to severe chickenpox. There was no difference in effectiveness between children
and adults, or between patients vaccinated at different times after exposure up to 5 days post-exposure.
Although it is usually a mild disease, chickenpox can have significant complications. Previous studies have suggested
that vaccination after exposure can reduce the risk of developing chickenpox. The new study provides important new
information on the effectiveness of currently available varicella vaccines for postexposure prophylaxis.
The results suggest that, for people exposed to a family member with chickenpox, it's not too late to get vaccinated.
Vaccination within five days reduces the risk of getting chickenpox by about 60 percent, and reduces the chances of
developing moderate to severe chickenpox by nearly 80 percent. Postexposure prophylaxis may be especially
important in children and adolescents, who are at higher risk of developing rare but serious complications from
chickenpox.
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About The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal® (http://www.pidj.com) is a peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary journal
directed to physicians and other health care professionals who manage infectious diseases of childhood. The journal
delivers the latest insights on all aspects of infectious disease in children, from state-of-art diagnostic techniques to
the most effective drug therapies and other essential treatment protocols. The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal is
official journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society and the European Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases.
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