Growth, morbidity and mortality after chickenpox infection in young children in Guinea-Bissau.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether chickenpox in children below 2 years of age is associated with post-infection changes in growth, morbidity or mortality.


METHODS
An outbreak of chickenpox was investigated in Guinea-Bissau. An examination, interview and anthropometry were performed 6 months after the epidemic for a group of children and matched controls whose weight had been measured at the time of the chickenpox episode. All children diagnosed with chickenpox before 2 years of age were followed for survival and hospitalisations to the age of 3 years and compared with all other children in the community.


RESULTS
At the 6-month follow-up, skin infections tended to be more frequent in cases (p<0.06) and more cases had used antibiotics within the last month (p<0.03). Although there had been no difference before chickenpox infection, girls with chickenpox infection had significantly higher weight, height and larger arm-circumferences than controls (all p<0.01). After chickenpox infection, the incidence of hospitalisation and long-term mortality was the same for cases and other children in the community (respectively, incidence rate ratio=1.16 (0.77-1.74) and mortality ratio=0.74 (0.39-1.41)).


CONCLUSIONS
Though chickenpox may be associated with increased short-term morbidity, it does not appear to have any negative long-term effect on growth, severe morbidity and survival of young children.
Poulsen
Anja
A
Projecto de Saude de Bandim, Guinea-Bissau, Danish Epidemiology Science Centre, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark. anja@dadlnet.dk
Cabral
Fernando
F
Nielsen
Jens
J
Roth
Adam
A
Lisse
Ida
I
Aaby
Peter
P
D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control; D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006169:Guinea-Bissau / Q000453:epidemiology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity; D012737:Sex Factors; D012874:Skin Diseases, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors
D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine