Global varicella vaccination programs.

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Varicella (chickenpox) is highly contagious, caused by the varicella zoster virus.
• A secondary attack rate exceeds 90%, emphasizing the need for effective control measures.
• Increasing global adoption of universal varicella vaccination programs is observed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review international varicella vaccination programs and policies.
• To establish a foundation for a national varicella vaccine policy.
• To address the need for optimized vaccination strategies based on local epidemiology and resources.

Main Methods:

• Review of vaccination programs in countries with universal varicella vaccination.
• Analysis of vaccine efficacy and effectiveness data across different programs.
• Assessment of the necessity for national-level varicella vaccine effectiveness evaluation.

Main Results:

• Many countries are implementing 2-dose varicella vaccinations universally.
• Vaccine efficacy and effectiveness vary by vaccine type and program.
• Current varicella vaccine effectiveness evaluation in Korea is short-term and fragmented.

Conclusions:

• Optimized varicella vaccination strategies are required, tailored to national epidemiology and health resources.
• Evaluating varicella vaccine effectiveness in diverse settings is crucial.
• National-level effectiveness studies are necessary to determine optimal varicella vaccination schedules in Korea.