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The burden of varicella complications before the introduction of routine varicella vaccination in Germany

Johannes G Liese1, Veit Grote, Eva Rosenfeld

  • 1Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany. johannes.liese@med.uni-muenchen.de

The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
|January 30, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Varicella complications in children are more severe than previously thought, with 80% of hospitalizations experiencing adverse events. This study highlights the significant burden of varicella in Germany, impacting even healthy children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • The actual impact of varicella (chickenpox) complications in Germany remains unclear.
  • This study aimed to determine the incidence and patterns of varicella complications in pediatric populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the incidence and spectrum of varicella complications in children and adolescents in Germany.
  • To estimate the annual number of varicella-related hospitalizations in Germany.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective nationwide surveillance of hospitalized varicella cases in children (<=16 years) from January 2003 to December 2004.
  • Utilized the German Pediatric Surveillance Unit (ESPED) and additional surveillance in North-Rhine Westphalia (NRW).
  • Employed capture-recapture methodology to refine incidence estimates.

Main Results:

  • 918 hospitalized varicella patients were reported, with a median age of 3.3 years.
  • Varicella complications occurred in 80% of hospitalizations, most commonly neurologic (25.4%), skin infections (23.2%), and gastrointestinal issues (15.0%).
  • Estimated 1996 varicella-related hospitalizations annually in Germany, with 14.1 hospitalizations per 100,000 children.

Conclusions:

  • The severity of varicella complications in healthy children has been underestimated.
  • Varicella poses a significant public health burden, necessitating increased awareness and potentially preventive strategies.
Abstract

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