title: [Varicella disease and varicella vaccine. A literature review].
abstract: Varicella is an infectious childhood disease. A safe and effective vaccine is accessible. The varicella disease usually takes a mild course but studies performed outside Denmark reveal a considerable occurrence of complications. There is no Danish account of morbidity and mortality following infection with varicella-zoster virus. According to experience from the USA, the introduction of routine vaccination will result in a decreasing incidence of the disease and will also reduce the frequency of complications caused by the disease. In addition, it will give indirect protection of non-vaccinated individuals (herd immunity). Introducing vaccination against varicella involves a potential risk of changing the epidemiology of the disease. Moreover, routine vaccination may affect the frequency and the severity of herpes zoster. Experience from the USA will give us a better basis of deciding whether vaccination against varicella should be implemented or not in the Danish childhood vaccination programme.
authors.affiliation: Statens Serum Institut, Medicinsk Afdeling, Sektor for Vaccine, Artillerivej 5, DK-2300 København.
authors.forename: Marianne Sjølin
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Frederiksen
authors.forename: Anne-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Plesner
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stellfeld
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D032541:Mass Vaccination; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000821:virology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine