Chickenpox vaccine

When is the vaccination useful?

Although chickenpox is harmless in many patients. However, there is a risk of complications with any disease. Thus, chickenpox can lead to severe courses of pneumonia or encephalitis. In some cases, the disease even leads to death. Especially adults, newborns and immunocompromised and elderly patients are more often affected by complications. Therefore, the Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) recommends for all children the chickenpox vaccine.

Adults and teenagerswho do not have chicken pox as a child and have not been vaccinated against it should do the vaccination in the following cases:

• Unvaccinated 9- to 17-year-olds without signs of a chickenpox infection
• Women with children who do not have antibodies to chickenpox in their blood
• Patients before initiating therapy that weakens the immune system (such as through immunosuppressive drugs)
• Patients before an organ transplant
• Occupational groups exposed to increased risk of infection (such as medical staff and preschool teachers)

How does the chickenpox vaccine work?

For chickenpox vaccination, a live vaccine is used. This contains attenuated pathogens, which can no longer trigger the disease. Nevertheless, they stimulate the human immune system to produce specific antibodies. So the vaccine becomes immune to chickenpox.

In order for the chickenpox vaccine to have a long-term effect, two doses of vaccine must be given (basic immunization):

• The first chickenpox vaccine is given between the ages of 11 and 14 months, usually together with the combination vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR vaccine).
• The second dose should be given between the ages of 15 and 23 months. There must be at least four to six weeks between the two doses.

Even in adolescents and adults, a required chickenpox vaccine with two doses of vaccine is performed. If at least one vaccine dose has been given to a child as a child (incomplete primary vaccination), it may be sufficient to administer only one more dose.

Are chickenpox possible despite vaccination?

How long the protection after the chickenpox vaccine is given, you do not know for sure. According to studies, protection against varicella through a vaccine against chickenpox is very high: The chickenpox vaccine (two doses) can prevent a disease in 70 to 90 percent of cases and severe disease courses to 97 percent.

In humans, who are exposed to an increased risk of chickenpox (such as medical staff), repeated so-called titers can be performed at intervals. The amount of antibodies to chickenpox in the blood is measured. With low antibody number can be inoculated. This helps to prevent anyone from contracting chickenpox in the past despite vaccination.

Chickenpox vaccine: side effects

In general, the chickenpox vaccine is well tolerated. However, as with any other vaccine, transient reactions may occur at the injection site. These include redness, swelling and pain. In addition, the body temperature may be slightly increased after the chickenpox vaccination.

In some individuals, attenuated varicella symptoms occur one to four weeks after the chickenpox vaccination. These include mild fever and a slightly reddish, blister-like rash.

Very rarely do people react allergic to ingredients of the chickenpox vaccine.

Chickenpox vaccination after (possible) infection

In general, unprotected people should stay away from patients. People who have not received chickenpox vaccine and have never had the disease are considered unprotected. Special care should be taken when exposed to an increased risk of developing a serious and complicated disease. These include, for example, people with weakened immune systems.

In spite of everything, the unprotected sometimes come into contact with the infected, causing them (possibly) to catch the chickenpox virus. This can happen, for example, if they spend at least one hour in the same room as sick people or live with them in the same household. Even with a direct face contact happens easily a virus transmission.

In such cases there is the possibility of having one Locking vaccination (postexpositional vaccination) However, to prevent chickenpox or at least to influence the course positively (by “exposure” is meant the exposure to the pathogens):

• Either unprotected within five days after the (potential) infection or within three days of the onset of rash the receive “normal”, ie active chickenpox vaccine.
• Or unprotected get one passive chickenpox vaccine, so finished antibodies against varicella viruses. These should be given within three days after contact with patients (maximum of ten days after that). They are also suitable for newborns and premature babies.

The active chickenpox vaccine should not be administered during pregnancy because it is a live vaccine. Unprotected pregnant women can only receive passive chickenpox vaccine after contact with patients.