Vaccination to prevent varicella and shingles

Area of Science:

• * Virology
• * Immunology
• * Public Health

Background:

• * The live attenuated Oka vaccine has been used for varicella (chickenpox) prevention in Japan and South Korea for years.
• * Universal childhood varicella vaccination programs were established in the USA, Canada, Germany, and Sweden starting in 1996.
• * The Oka vaccine is licensed for healthy children in several countries.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To review the origin and development of the Oka vaccine.
• * To examine the evidence for the safety and efficacy of varicella vaccination in children and adults.
• * To discuss strategies for universal and targeted varicella vaccination, and explore its potential use against zoster.

Main Methods:

• * Literature review of vaccine origin, safety, and efficacy data.
• * Analysis of universal and targeted vaccination program strategies.
• * Review of potential applications for zoster prevention and new vaccine development.

Main Results:

• * The Oka vaccine has a history of use and licensing in multiple countries for varicella prevention.
• * Evidence supports the safety and efficacy of the vaccine in both children and adults.
• * The vaccine's potential for preventing zoster and ongoing development of new vaccines are discussed.

Conclusions:

• * The Oka vaccine is a valuable tool for preventing varicella in children and adults.
• * Both universal childhood vaccination and targeted vaccination of at-risk groups are important strategies.
• * Further research and development are exploring new varicella-zoster virus vaccines and applications.