[Varicella disease and varicella vaccine. A literature review]

Varicella is an infectious childhood disease. A safe and effective vaccine is accessible. The varicella disease usually takes a mild course but studies performed outside Denmark reveal a considerable occurrence of complications. There is no Danish account of morbidity and mortality following infection with varicella-zoster virus. According to experience from the USA, the introduction of routine vaccination will result in a decreasing incidence of the disease and will also reduce the frequency of complications caused by the disease. In addition, it will give indirect protection of non-vaccinated individuals (herd immunity). Introducing vaccination against varicella involves a potential risk of changing the epidemiology of the disease. Moreover, routine vaccination may affect the frequency and the severity of herpes zoster. Experience from the USA will give us a better basis of deciding whether vaccination against varicella should be implemented or not in the Danish childhood vaccination programme.