Varicella is widespread worldwide. In Germany, about 700,000 diseases per year are assumed. Chickenpox is extremely contagious and is an initial infection with varicella-zoster virus. Transmission occurs via droplets containing the virus, which are excreted when breathing or coughing.

Furthermore, transmission through virus-containing vesicle contents or crusts as smear infection is also possible. Contagiousness begins 1 to 2 days before skin symptoms appear and ends 7 days after the last vesicles appear. Herpes zoster disease (shingles) is caused by reactivation of a previous chickenpox disease. It is less contagious than chickenpox. Chickenpox cases usually have a benign course in otherwise healthy individuals and usually heal without scarring.

More complicating are diseases in adulthood. Newborns and immunocompromised individuals develop particularly severe courses of the disease.

Vaccination: live vaccine, live attenuated virus, injection into muscle. Vaccination can also be given as a combination vaccination against measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (MMRV).

Who should get vaccinated?

  • All children aged 11-14 months
  • Unvaccinated 9- to 17-year-olds who have not yet experienced chickenpox,
  • Seronegative women of childbearing potential
  • Susceptible patients with severe atopic dermatitis,
  • Susceptible patients who are scheduled for immune weakening treatment or organ transplantation,
  • Susceptible individuals with contact with at-risk groups.

“Susceptible” means: no previous chickenpox disease, no vaccination, and no evidence of specific antibodies when tested in the laboratory.

Timing of vaccination:

A single vaccination in children before age 13; two vaccinations at least 6 weeks apart in children 13 years and older, adolescents, and adults.
When using the 4-valent MMRV vaccine, 2 vaccine injections are always necessary.

Common vaccine reactions:

Occasional redness and swelling at the vaccination site – more common in adults after the second vaccination, mild fever.
Occasionally, symptoms of mild “vaccine sickness” (fever with a mild chickenpox-like rash) may occur. All these phenomena are only temporary.