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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: adc.2007.130518v1 92/12/1051    most recent Submit a response Read responses to this article Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in ADC Online Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Roderick, M. Articles by Finn, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Roderick, M. Articles by Finn, A. Topic Collections Editor's choice Related Article

Should the UK introduce varicella vaccine?

¹ Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, United Bristol Healthcare Trust, Bristol, UK
² Department of Clinical Science at South Bristol, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

Correspondence to:
Adam Finn, Institute of Child Life and Health, Level 6, UBHT Education Centre, Upper Maudlin St, Bristol BS2 8AE, UK; Adam.Finn@bristol.ac.uk

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Chickenpox has traditionally been viewed as an irritating but inevitable infection to be endured during childhood, a rite of passage during the preschool years. This benign view persists despite evidence that certain groups, including neonates, adults, pregnant women and the immunocompromised, have higher risk of severe disease. Few data on the incidence of severe complications and death in children are available; however, such information might change our view of the disease, especially considering that such morbidity and mortality may now be regarded as vaccine preventable.

Population incidence is approximately 13–16 cases per 1000 with substantial year-to-year variation with 2–5-yearly epidemics.¹ Recently, incidence in pre-school children has risen relative to primary school age children, possibly due to the increased mixing at child-care centres and playgroups.^{2 3} For every 1000 cases of varicella, between two and five will require hospital admission,^{2 4–6} with the majority being children, reflecting higher childhood incidence.

Secondary . . . [Full text of this article]

Related Article

Severe complications of chickenpox in hospitalised children in the UK and Ireland

J C Cameron, G Allan, F Johnston, A Finn, P T Heath, and R Booy
Arch. Dis. Child. 2007 92: 1062-1066. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]