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[Varicella vaccine].
1Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Pediatría, Unidad de Infectología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. kabarca@med.puc.cl
Summary
Varicella vaccines effectively prevent severe disease, but mild breakthrough cases occur. Ongoing evaluation is needed for long-term immunity and potential impacts on herpes zoster incidence.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Immunology
- Public Health
Context:
- Varicella (chickenpox) and herpes zoster (shingles) pose substantial public health challenges.
- Currently available varicella vaccines offer high efficacy against severe and moderate disease.
Purpose:
- To review the effectiveness of varicella vaccination, discuss breakthrough disease, and explore potential long-term epidemiological shifts.
- To inform discussions regarding optimal vaccination strategies, including the potential need for a second vaccine dose.
Summary:
- Universal varicella vaccination significantly reduces disease burden and hospitalizations, demonstrating cost-effectiveness.
- While vaccine efficacy is high for severe varicella, it is less consistent for mild cases, with identified risk factors for breakthrough disease.
- Emerging data suggest a possible association between varicella vaccination and increased herpes zoster incidence in the elderly, necessitating continued monitoring.
Impact:
- Varicella vaccination has reshaped disease epidemiology, leading to reduced overall varicella incidence.
- Long-term surveillance is crucial to understand the evolving landscape of varicella and herpes zoster post-universal immunization.
- Findings support ongoing research into vaccine schedules and the long-term interplay between varicella and herpes zoster immunity.