[Clinical features of varicella in children in 1980-1999]

To understand clinical features of in-patients with varicella and complications in our hospital during 1980-1999.

Age distribution, season characteristics, complication, occurrence of hospitalized varicella patients in 1980-1999 were analyzed.

Varicella mainly occurred in pre-school and school children, most cases were seen in winter and spring. There were 240 hospitalized varicella patients, 160 of whom had complications, 126 patients scattered in 1994-1996 (78.75%). The most often seen complication was skin infection which occurred in 71 patients (44.38%); the second was encephalitis, which occurred in 29 patients (18.12%).

The occurrence of varicella increased and the disease seemed to be more serious.