Pediatric Chickenpox Questions & Answers

1. Hall S, Maupin T, Seward J, Jumaan AO, Peterson C, Goldman G, et al. Second varicella infections: are they more common than previously thought?. Pediatrics. 2002 Jun. 109(6):1068-73. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

2. Rockley PF, Tyring SK. Pathophysiology and clinical manifestations of varicella zoster virus infections. Int J Dermatol. 1994 Apr. 33(4):227-32. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

3. Dowell SF, Bresee JS. Severe varicella associated with steroid use. Pediatrics. 1993 Aug. 92(2):223-8. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

4. Davis MM, Patel MS, Gebremariam A. Decline in varicella-related hospitalizations and expenditures for children and adults after introduction of varicella vaccine in the United States. Pediatrics. 2004 Sep. 114(3):786-92. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

5. [Guideline] American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases. Prevention of varicella: recommendations for use of varicella vaccines in children, including a recommendation for a routine 2-dose varicella immunization schedule. Pediatrics. 2007. 120:221-231. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

6. Zhou F, Harpaz R, Jumaan AO, et al. Impact of varicella vaccination on health care utilization. JAMA. 2005 Aug 17. 294(7):797-802. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

7. Nguyen HQ, Jumaan AO, Seward JF. Decline in mortality due to varicella after implementation of varicella vaccination in the United States. N Engl J Med. 2005 Feb 3. 352(5):450-8. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

8. Seward JF, Watson BM, Peterson CL, Mascola L, Pelosi JW, Zhang JX, et al. Varicella disease after introduction of varicella vaccine in the United States, 1995-2000. JAMA. 2002 Feb 6. 287(5):606-11. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

9. Shah SS, Wood SM, Luan X, Ratner AJ. Decline in varicella-related ambulatory visits and hospitalizations in the United States since routine immunization against varicella. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2010 Mar. 29(3):199-204. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

10. National, state, and local area vaccination coverage among children aged 19-35 months--United States, 2006. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2007 Aug 31. 56(34):880-5. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

11. Buchholz U, Moolenaar R, Peterson C, Mascola L. Varicella outbreaks after vaccine licensure: should they make you chicken?. Pediatrics. 1999 Sep. 104(3 Pt 1):561-3. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

12. Galil K, Lee B, Strine T, et al. Outbreak of varicella at a day-care center despite vaccination. N Engl J Med. 2002 Dec 12. 347(24):1909-15. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

13. Seward JF, Zhang JX, Maupin TJ, Mascola L, Jumaan AO. Contagiousness of varicella in vaccinated cases: a household contact study. JAMA. 2004 Aug 11. 292(6):704-8. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

14. Ozaki T, Nagai H, Kimura T, Ichikawa T, Suzuki S, Kito H, et al. The age distribution of neutralizing antibodies against varicella-zoster virus in healthy individuals. Biken J. 1980 Mar. 23(1):9-14. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

15. Kouwabunpat D, Hoffman J, Adler R. Varicella complicated by group A streptococcal sepsis and osteonecrosis. Pediatrics. 1999 Oct. 104(4 Pt 1):967-9. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

16. Cowan MR, Primm PA, Scott SM, Abramo TJ, Wiebe RA. Serious group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal infections complicating varicella. Ann Emerg Med. 1994 Apr. 23(4):818-22. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

17. Doctor A, Harper MB, Fleisher GR. Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal bacteremia: historical overview, changing incidence, and recent association with varicella. Pediatrics. 1995 Sep. 96(3 Pt 1):428-33. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

18. Lesko SM, O'Brien KL, Schwartz B, Vezina R, Mitchell AA. Invasive group A streptococcal infection and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug use among children with primary varicella. Pediatrics. 2001 May. 107(5):1108-15. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

19. Tappeiner C, Aebi C, Garweg JG. Retinitis and optic neuritis in a child with chickenpox: case report and review of literature. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2010 Dec. 29(12):1150-2. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

20. Marques P, Pereira C, Silva F, Garcia T, Ribeiro JA. Ischemic cerebellar stroke in a 4-year-old boy after chickenpox: an atypical vascular involvement. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2021 Jun. 30 (6):105719. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

21. Amlie-Lefond C, Gilden D. Varicella zoster virus: a common cause of stroke in children and adults. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2016 Jul. 25 (7):1561-9. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

22. Matsukura H, Murakami M, Sakaki H, Mitani T, Shimura S. Varicella glomerulonephritis preceding the cutaneous lesions. Clin Nephrol. 2009 Aug. 72(2):161-2. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

23. Perella D, Fiks AG, Jumaan A, Robinson D, Gargiullo P, Pletcher J, et al. Validity of reported varicella history as a marker for varicella zoster virus immunity among unvaccinated children, adolescents, and young adults in the post-vaccine licensure era. Pediatrics. 2009 May. 123(5):e820-8. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

24. Chickenpox in Pregnancy. RCOG Green-top Guideline No. 13. Available at https://www.rcog.org.uk/globalassets/documents/guidelines/gtg_13.pdf. Accessed: May 11, 2015.

25. Barclay L. Guidelines Revised on Chicken Pox in Pregnancy. Medscape Medical News. Available at http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/838532. Accessed: May 11, 2015.

26. Pastuszak AL, Levy M, Schick B, et al. Outcome after maternal varicella infection in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. N Engl J Med. 1994 Mar 31. 330(13):901-5. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

27. Derrick CW Jr, Lord L. In utero varicella-zoster infections. South Med J. 1998 Nov. 91(11):1064-6. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

28. American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases: The use of oral acyclovir in otherwise healthy children with varicella. Pediatrics. 1993 Mar. 91(3):674-6. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

29. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Updated recommendations for use of VariZIG – United States, 2013. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6228a4.htm?s_cid=mm6228a4_w. Accessed: July 23, 2013.

30. [Guideline] Marin M, Meissner HC, Seward JF. Varicella prevention in the United States: a review of successes and challenges. Pediatrics. 2008 Sep. 122(3):e744-51. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

31. Pinquier D, Gagneur A, Balu L, et al. Prevalence of anti-varicella-zoster virus antibodies in French infants under 15 months of age. Clin Vaccine Immunol. 2009 Apr. 16(4):484-7. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

32. [Guideline] Update: recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) regarding administration of combination MMRV vaccine. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2008 Mar 14. 57(10):258-60. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

33. [Guideline] Marin M, Güris D, Chaves SS, Schmid S, Seward JF. Prevention of varicella: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR Recomm Rep. 2007 Jun 22. 56:1-40. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

34. Su JR, Leroy Z, Lewis PW, Haber P, Marin M, Leung J, et al. Safety of Second-Dose Single-Antigen Varicella Vaccine. Pediatrics. 2017 Mar. 139 (3):[QxMD MEDLINE Link].

35. Lee LE, Ho H, Lorber E, et al. Vaccine-era varicella epidemiology and vaccine effectiveness in a public elementary school population, 2002-2007. Pediatrics. 2008 Jun. 121(6):e1548-54. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

36. Verstraeten T, Jumaan AO, Mullooly JP, et al. A retrospective cohort study of the association of varicella vaccine failure with asthma, steroid use, age at vaccination, and measles-mumps-rubella vaccination. Pediatrics. 2003 Aug. 112(2):e98-103. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

37. Chaves SS, Gargiullo P, Zhang JX, et al. Loss of vaccine-induced immunity to varicella over time. N Engl J Med. 2007 Mar 15. 356(11):1121-9. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

38. Arbeter AM, Granowetter L, Starr SE, et al. Immunization of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia with live attenuated varicella vaccine without complete suspension of chemotherapy. Pediatrics. 1990 Mar. 85(3):338-44. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

39. Quian R J, Protasio P A, Dall'orso V P, et al. [Varicella outbreak in a village in Uruguay]. Rev Chilena Infectol. 2010 Feb. 27(1):47-51. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].

40. Watson B, Seward J, Yang A, Witte P, Lutz J, Chan C. Postexposure effectiveness of varicella vaccine. Pediatrics. 2000 Jan. 105(1 Pt 1):84-8. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

41. Klein NP, Fireman B, Yih WK, et al. Measles-mumps-rubella-varicella combination vaccine and the risk of febrile seizures. Pediatrics. 2010 Jul. 126(1):e1-8. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

42. Hviid A. Measles-mumps-rubella-varicella combination vaccine increases risk of febrile seizure. J Pediatr. 2011 Jan. 158(1):170. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

43. [Guideline] Marin M, Broder KR, Temte JL, Snider DE, Seward JF. Use of combination measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccine: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR Recomm Rep. 2010 May 7. 59:1-12. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

44. American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases. Policy Statement--Prevention of Varicella: Update of Recommendations for Use of Quadrivalent and Monovalent Varicella Vaccines in Children. Pediatrics. 2011 Aug 28. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

45. Marin M, Marti M, Kambhampati A, Jeram SM, Seward JF. Global Varicella Vaccine Effectiveness: A Meta-analysis. Pediatrics. 2016 Mar. 137 (3):1-10. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].

Kirsten A Bechtel, MD Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine; Co-Director, Injury Free Coalition for Kids, Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital

Kirsten A Bechtel, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Archana Chatterjee, MD, PhD Professor and Chair, Department of Pediatrics, Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Development, Sanford School of Medicine, The University of South Dakota

Archana Chatterjee, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Society for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases Society of America, International Society for Infectious Diseases, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, Society for Pediatric Research

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Richard Lichenstein, MD Professor, Pediatric Emergency Department, University of Maryland School of Medicine

Richard Lichenstein, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Parang N Mehta, MD Consulting Staff, Department of Pediatrics, Mehta Hospital, India

Parang N Mehta, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Indian Medical Association, Indian Academy of Pediatrics

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Mary L Windle, PharmD Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Russell W Steele, MD Clinical Professor, Tulane University School of Medicine; Staff Physician, Ochsner Clinic Foundation

Russell W Steele, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of Immunologists, American Pediatric Society, American Society for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Louisiana State Medical Society, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, Society for Pediatric Research, Southern Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Leonard R Krilov, MD Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and International Adoption, Vice Chair, Department of Pediatrics, Winthrop University Hospital; Professor of Pediatrics, Stony Brook University School of Medicine

Leonard R Krilov, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Pediatric Society, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, Society for Pediatric Research

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Leslie L Barton, MD Professor Emerita of Pediatrics, University of Arizona College of Medicine

Leslie L Barton, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, Association of Pediatric Program Directors, Infectious Diseases Society of America, and Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

• Print this section
• Print the entire contents of
• Print the entire contents of article