Medical Dude

For people who haven’t had chickenpox and are exposed to an ill family member, getting vaccinated within five days can reduce the risk of developing chickenpox-or at least reduce the severity of disease, reports a study in the January issue ofThe Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business intelligence for students, professionals, and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health, and pharmacy.

“Available varicella vaccines administered within 5 days after exposure to chickenpox are effective in preventing chickenpox and highly effective in attenuating the disease,” concludes the study by Dr. Maria Brotons and colleagues of Hospital Universitario Vall d’Hebron, Barcelona.

Postexposure Prophylaxis is 60 Percent Effective in Preventing Chickenpox

The researchers analyzed their experience with “postexposure prophylaxis”-giving chickenpox (varicella) vaccine after exposure to the disease-in 67 patients. The patients, including 21 children, were exposed to a family member with chickenpox. All patients received commercially available chickenpox vaccine within five days after exposure, most within three days.

Because they had not had chickenpox or received the chickenpox vaccine, the patients were at high risk of developing chickenpox. Their lack of immunity was confirmed by serologic studies. Based on past studies, it was estimated that 58 of the 67 patients would get sick after being exposed to chickenpox.

However, only 22 patients developed disease after being vaccinated. Thus vaccination after exposure was about 62 percent effective in preventing chickenpox.

When chickenpox did develop, it was mild to moderate in all cases. Vaccination was estimated to be 79 percent effective in preventing moderate to severe chickenpox. There was no difference in effectiveness between children and adults, or between patients vaccinated at different times after exposure up to 5 days post-exposure.

Although it is usually a mild disease, chickenpox can have significant complications. Previous studies have suggested that vaccination after exposure can reduce the risk of developing chickenpox. The new study provides important new information on the effectiveness of currently available (varicella) vaccines for postexposure prophylaxis.

The results suggest that, for people exposed to a family member with chickenpox, it’s not too late to get vaccinated. Vaccination within five days reduces the risk of getting chickenpox by about 60 percent, and reduces the chances of developing moderate to severe chickenpox by nearly 80 percent. Postexposure prophylaxis may be especially important in children and adolescents, who are at higher risk of developing rare but serious complications from chickenpox.

About The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal

The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal® is a peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary journal directed to physicians and other health care professionals who manage infectious diseases of childhood. The journal delivers the latest insights on all aspects of infectious disease in children, from state-of-art diagnostic techniques to the most effective drug therapies and other essential treatment protocols. The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal is official journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society and the European Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases.

Source
Wolters Kluwer Health: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Popularity: 1% [?]

Related posts:

1. Use Of Statins Increases The Risk Of Developing Type 2 Diabetes But Reduces Coronary Events
2. New Rabies Vaccine May Require Only A Single Shot…Not Six
3. Mothers’ Exposure To Phthalates Linked To Un-masculine Play In Young Boys
4. Mother’s Depression A Risk Factor In Childhood Asthma Symptoms
5. CT Scans Show Patients With Severe Cases Of H1N1 Are At Risk For Developing Acute Pulmonary Emboli
6. Kidney Function Decline Increases Risk Of Heart Failure And Premature Death
7. Stopping Post-Birth Bleeding
8. Leprosy Genes Identified
9. Small Diabetes Risk Is Not A Reason To Stop Taking Statins
10. Discovery of New Transmission Patterns May Help Prevent Rotavirus Epidemics