title: Varicella outbreak in Indian students in Magdeburg with detection of the African-Indian VZV clade 5.
abstract: Varicella has the highest contagiosity index of all viral diseases. We report an endemic outbreak of varicella among 4 Indian students in Magdeburg in November and December 2008. An initially severe course was observed in three of these patients with a negative vaccination status. Large vesicular skin lesions with a diameter of up to 8 mm were found in all patients. Molecular genetic tests revealed African/Indian clade 5 in 2 patients, although the European clades (i.e., clade 1 and 3) are the most common in Germany, accounting for 85 %. All patients recovered without any complications after administration of intravenous aciclovir at a dosage of 10 mg per kg body weight. Although isolated cases of varicella are not notifiable according to the German Protection against Infection Act, endemic outbreaks must be reported to the appropriate health surveillance authorities.
authors.affiliation: Clinic and Polyclinic for Dermatology and Venereology, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany. malgorzata.kolesnik@med.ovgu.de
authors.forename: Malgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kolesnik
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sauerbrei
authors.forename: Ingolf
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Franke
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: König
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gollnick
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bonnekoh
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005858:Germany; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000212:Acyclovir