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December 13, 2002

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Double Chickenpox Vaccine May Be Needed: Experts"

Reuters (www.reuters.com) (12/11/02); Emery, Gene

A study by Karin Galil of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the rapid transmission of chickenpox through a group of vaccinated children in a New Hampshire day-care center has become a warning beacon to experts.  Anne Gershon of the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons commented that a second injection of the varicella vaccine may be required in order to provide children with sufficient protection now. Galil's study showed that the single dose of varicella failed to protect 56 percent of the children who were vaccinated--an increase from past studies which indicated a zero percent to 29 percent failure rate.  Chickenpox causes headaches, fever and a itchy red rash filled with fluid and can result in pneumonia, brain inflammation, skin infections and be fatal in rare cases.

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