discussion title:
What is the deal with the Chickenpox ...
message #:
723.7 in response to 723.1
Hi Suz - well, here are my thoughts...
....that were posted on another board:
Well, first I would need to say that I have seen no convincing evidence that Varivax (or any vaccine for that matter) is any more risky than anything else in life. It is estimated to be over 80% effective in preventing varicella altogether and 90+% effective in preventing severe disease. With that premise...
I have personally taken care of (unvaccinated) patients who have contracted varicella, developed complications, and DIED. I have yet, in 5 years of practice, to take care of a single patient who I even remotely suspected had a serious reaction to Varivax.
I guess my feeling is that concerns about waning immunity and contracting chickenpox in adulthood is likely a self-fulfilling prophecy. High levels of vaccination protect those who cannot vaccinate (those with cancer, immunocompromised, etc) as well as those with waning immunity. Those who choose not to vax and opt for natural immunity can (1) expose those who cannot vax/too young to vax to disease; (2) run the risk of varicella related complications; (3) run a risk of never acquiring varicella (nobody to be exposed to) and reaching adulthood without any immunity (the self-fulfilling prophecy); (4) not ever achieve "lifelong" immunity in the first place if lifelong immunity is truly dependant on wild virus boosters. It also appears that those vaccinated with Varivax *may* have a decreased incidence of shingles (this is currently being studied as well as using Varivax in the elderly to prevent shingles - unfortunately, looks like those studies in the elderly are not panning out).
The studies are ongoing regarding duration of immunity. There are indications from the CDC that immunity will be longer than 20-30 years. Boosters may or may not be necessary and I can live with getting boosters.
As for what you were told about your immunity....hhhhmmmm.....<scratching my head>....I just couldn't tell you why that would be. It may be moot since it's getting harder and harder to be *exposed* to chickenpox anyways.
Eve
