Varicella Related Hospital Admissions in Ireland

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Primary varicella (chickenpox) infection can lead to severe complications and significant healthcare utilization.
• Understanding national admission trends is crucial for resource allocation and public health strategy development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate trends in hospital admissions for primary varicella infection in Ireland.
• To assess the burden of chickenpox on the Irish healthcare system.
• To provide epidemiological data to inform discussions on varicella vaccination.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Hospital Inpatient Enquiry System data from Irish hospitals.
• Analyzed patient admissions for primary varicella infection between 2005 and 2016.

Main Results:

• 2717 admissions for primary varicella infection were recorded.
• Average annual admissions were 226, with an incidence of 4.87/100,000.
• Sixty-two patients (2.5%) required intensive care, with an average length of stay of 26 days.
• Cellulitis and streptococcal infection were common secondary diagnoses, with a significant increase in these admissions over the study period.

Conclusions:

• Chickenpox consistently burdens Irish healthcare, accounting for over 1100 acute and 160 intensive-care bed days annually.
• The findings support the consideration of a universal varicella vaccine.
• This study establishes baseline epidemiology for future vaccine effectiveness evaluations.