BRAMPTON, Ontario — Chickenpox, also known as varicella, is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, part of the herpes virus group. Most occurrences of chickenpox are mild childhood cases where the illness persists for five to 10 days. However, there is a 10 percent likelihood that individuals may experience severe complications, which can put their life at risk.
This likelihood is amplified in adolescent and adult patients who contract chickenpox.
Licensed in the U.S. in 1995, the chickenpox vaccine, otherwise known as the varicella vaccine, is made from an attenuated varicella-zoster virus. Chickenpox is a highly contagious communicable disease. Those with chickenpox must remove themselves from public environments in order to prevent spreading the disease.
It is an unpleasant period of isolation because of the blisters, itchiness and coughing fits patients endure. With the vaccine, people don’t need to be afraid of experiencing these complications because they are immune to the disease.
Similarly, those who have already been afflicted with chickenpox attain immunity against it.
However, while a second round of chicken pox may not be a concern, the risk of having herpes zolster, or shingles, is for people.
The varicella virus can lie dormant in nerve cells of 10-to-20 percent of infected children. Reactivation of the virus is instigated by a weakened immune system. Reactivation can take decades to occur because of aging, and the diseases that will ensue because of old age, are immunosuppressive.
Once awakened, the virus causes painful rashes to appear at infected nerve cells sites. In about 15 percent of shingles cases in the elderly, the consequences are debilitating.
A majorly feared consequence is permanent nerve damage, which can impair various bodily functions including bladder function and vision.
Marc Brisson at Britain’s Public Health Laboratory Service attests that though the vaccine may prevent chickenpox during youth, the same people may develop shingles in old age. Vaccinated individuals who are more often exposed to children with chickenpox have increased immunity against shingles because periodic exposure acts as a booster shot against varicella virus.
However, with more and more children being vaccinated, people will have less and less exposure to chickenpox. Some researchers fear that the incidence of shingles later in life will increase.
Despite the shingles concern, the chickenpox vaccine is still largely supported. It is now a requirement in many U.S. schools. The varicella vaccine is actually on the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines.
It is still highly regarded because people over 60 can easily opt for a shingles vaccination in order to receive the booster that researchers mentioned.
The varicella vaccine can also be administered in combination with the MMR vaccine.
A very rough global estimate states the incidence of chickenpox is 90 million cases. However, developing nations don’t consider varicella a significant threat to health. Developing nations put more focus on more pressing health issues with higher death rates such as HIV/AIDS and cancers, even though implementing a varicella vaccination program has been proven to be cost-effective.
The disease has the potential to be eradicated only if global immunization programs work to vaccinate over 85 percent of children. Since varicella vaccination is not an issue that takes center stage in developing nations, the vaccination rate falls short of the goal, thus raising concerns of the virus appearing for older demographics.
More awareness must be brought to the importance of widespread varicella vaccination and cost-effectiveness of its inception in both industrialized and developing nations.
– Carmen Tu
Sources: WHO, The Liberty Beacon, UNICEF, WebMD
Photo: Nature Fare