Chickenpox

A highly contagious infectious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus (HERPESVIRUS 3, HUMAN). It usually affects children, is spread by direct contact or respiratory route via droplet nuclei, and is characterized by the appearance on the skin and mucous membranes of successive crops of typical pruritic vesicular lesions that are easily broken and become scabbed. Chickenpox is relatively benign in children, but may be complicated by pneumonia and encephalitis in adults. (From Dorland, 27th ed)

Also Known As:

Networked: 2692 relevant articles (159 outcomes, 241 trials/studies)

Relationship Network

Disease Context: Research Results

Related Diseases

1.	Herpes Zoster
2.	Infection
3.	Pneumonia (Pneumonitis)
4.	Chickenpox
5.	Measles

Experts

1.	Seward, Jane F: 26 articles (03/2014 - 02/2002)
2.	Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): 23 articles (07/2014 - 08/2001)
3.	Schmid, D Scott: 21 articles (01/2016 - 07/2003)
4.	Gershon, Anne A: 18 articles (08/2015 - 02/2004)
5.	Breuer, Judith: 11 articles (12/2014 - 08/2004)
6.	Klein, Nicola P: 10 articles (02/2015 - 10/2009)
7.	Marin, Mona: 10 articles (01/2015 - 02/2007)
8.	Traina-Dorge, Vicki: 10 articles (10/2014 - 06/2002)
9.	Grose, Charles: 9 articles (09/2015 - 07/2002)
10.	Mahalingam, Ravi: 9 articles (05/2015 - 06/2002)

Drugs and Biologics

Drugs and Important Biological Agents (IBA) related to Chickenpox:

1.	Acyclovir (Aciclovir)FDA LinkGeneric 03/01/1998 - "In our study application of acyclovir in that age group provided good results as for prevention and treatment of complications of chickenpox if already manifested." 01/01/2007 - "The patient with chickenpox was treated successfully with acyclovir without complication. " 03/01/1995 - "We conclude that early treatment with acyclovir was beneficial whereas late therapy had limited effect in reducing the severity of cutaneous lesions in patients with varicella." 01/01/1988 - "Intravenous acyclovir is effective for varicella in adults and immunocompromised children, causing more rapid resolution of the illness and fewer complications. " 01/01/1998 - "The nucleoside analogue aciclovir (syn: acyclovir, Zovirax) is effective in inhibiting replication of VZV when given at a dosage higher than that required for treatment of HSV, and is currently the only available and approved treatment for varicella in the U.K. "
2.	Chickenpox Vaccine (Vaccine, Varicella)IBA 03/01/2008 - "When administered after exposure, varicella vaccine was highly effective in preventing or modifying varicella. " 12/02/2004 - "The varicella vaccine Varilrix may not be effective in preventing varicella when administered after household exposure, although it is highly effective in ameliorating the disease in those who acquire it under these circumstances." 01/01/2000 - "When used within 36 hours after exposure to varicella in a setting where close contact occurred, varicella vaccine was highly effective in preventing further disease. " 11/12/1997 - "Varicella vaccine administered under routine conditions in physicians' offices was highly effective in preventing varicella in an outbreak characterized by intense exposure. " 05/01/1995 - "A live, attenuated varicella vaccine developed in 1974 and unlicensed in the United States is safe and highly effective in preventing varicella in healthy and immunocompromised populations. "
3.	VaccinesIBA 08/01/2010 - "The varicella vaccines in China are highly effective in preventing clinical varicella. " 04/01/2000 - ""New and improved" varicella vaccines that may be more effective than the current vaccine and can be stored at refrigerator temperatures may soon become available in the United States." 01/01/2012 - "A safe and effective vaccine is available and no abnormalities have been observed among infants born to susceptible women who received varicella vaccines during pregnancy. " 02/01/2004 - "The low cost of safe and effective vaccines prompted a cost-containment evaluation of a nationwide vaccination campaign against varicella. " 06/01/2003 - "The varicella vaccines available in the market are safe and effective. "
4.	Immunoglobulins (Immunoglobulin)IBA 02/24/1979 - "Comparison between 157 children treated with defibrinated convalescent plasma and 257 children treated with specific immunoglobulins revealed the improved effectiveness of the latter treatment in the prevention of chickenpox. " 06/01/2014 - "Neonates born from mothers who developed varicella between D-5 and D+2 of delivery should also receive as soon as possible specific anti-VZV immunoglobulins." 01/01/2011 - "VZV immunoglobulin treatment should be considered for newborn infants of mothers who developed chickenpox in the period from five days before to two days after delivery. " 09/01/2009 - "Currently, varicella-specific immunoglobulin is recommended for treatment of nonimmune, exposed, high-risk patients with varicella-specific immunoglobulin. " 04/30/2005 - "Patients with current varicella, immunodeficiency, immunoglobulin treatment in the previous 6 months, or significant language barriers were excluded. "
5.	Intravenous Immunoglobulins (IVIG)FDA Link 02/01/2001 - "None of ten infants receiving both IVIG and ACV contracted varicella. " 02/01/2001 - "Of four infants receiving IVIG alone, two developed clinical varicella. " 10/01/1992 - "None of the five children developed varicella following IVIG infusion. " 12/01/2008 - "We believe the rapid resolution and benign outcome of this patient's varicella infection may have been attributed to the concomitant initiation of IVIG with antiviral therapy." 02/01/1992 - "[Treatment with high doses of intravenous immunoglobulins in thrombopenia associated with varicella]."
6.	sorivudineIBA 08/01/1996 - "The antiviral and clinical efficacy of sorivudine in adults with varicella was evaluated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial. " 04/01/1992 - "Oral bioavailability and anti-simian varicella virus efficacy of 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl-E-5-(2-bromovinyl)uracil (BV-araU) in monkeys." 08/01/1996 - "Treatment of adult varicella with sorivudine: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial." 04/01/1992 - "In the present study, pharmacokinetic parameters and the efficacy of BV-araU against infection with simian varicella virus (SVV) were evaluated in African green monkeys. " 01/01/1993 - "Several new agents for varicella-zoster therapy are being evaluated; brovavir is a new agent currently being compared to placebo in the treatment of adult varicella."
7.	varicella-zoster immune globulin (VZIG)IBA 06/01/2011 - "When exposure is known to have occurred, early administration of varicella zoster immune globulin (VZIG) is generally protective against severe and complicated varicella. " 11/01/2013 - "The following review critically examines the role of VariZIG in post-exposure prophylaxis of varicella during pregnancy. " 03/30/2012 - "FDA approval of an extended period for administering VariZIG for postexposure prophylaxis of varicella." 10/01/2011 - "Patients who had been given VZIG and developed varicella on follow-up had a mean antibody level before VZIG of 28 mIU/ml and 62 mIU/ml, by LIAISON and TRFIA, respectively. " 02/08/2011 - "Congenital varicella syndrome: the evidence for secondary prevention with varicella-zoster immune globulin."
8.	InterferonsIBA 01/01/1983 - "The efficacy of interferon prophylaxis in the simian varicella model supports its continued evaluation for the management of human varicella in high-risk patients." 05/01/2015 - "Varicella Viruses Inhibit Interferon-Stimulated JAK-STAT Signaling through Multiple Mechanisms." 01/01/1990 - "Interferon (IFN) alpha was detected in the serum of children with varicella. " 01/01/1990 - "Production of circulation interferon in children with varicella." 04/01/1984 - "Although interferon has not yet been used in an attempt to prevent or modify varicella in humans, it has been used successfully to abort an outbreak of simian varicella in a monkey colony. "
9.	Anti-Bacterial Agents (Antibiotics)IBA 01/01/2012 - "Symptomatic therapy is usually adequate for chickenpox, but in some cases it requires combinations of antiviral drugs and antibiotics. " 02/15/2002 - "pneumoniae serotype 1, outpatient treatment with certain antibiotics, ibuprofen use, and varicella." 05/01/2010 - "Antibiotics that decrease toxin production, such as clindamycin, may provide benefit, and their efficacy against bacterial superinfections in children with varicella should be studied." 09/01/1987 - "Intravenous immunoglobulins are also beneficial in the prevention of certain viral infections, such as cytomegalovirus pneumonia and varicella; they may also have a synergistic effect with antibiotics in certain bacterial diseases. " 02/15/2002 - "Patients with empyema were more likely to be >3 years old, to have > or =7 days of fever, to have varicella, and to have received antibiotics and ibuprofen before admission to the hospital, compared with patients without empyema (P<.0001 for each factor). "
10.	AntibodiesIBA 01/01/1985 - "The vaccine was safe (no side effects) in healthy individuals, highly immunogenic (dose-dependent induction of humoral antibodies and specific cell-mediated immune response), and highly protective against clinical varicella. " 04/01/2014 - "We conducted this study to assess the seroprevalence of Varicella zoster virus (VZV) antibodies in a group of Iranian medical sciences students that were at risk of Varicella and the value of self-reported history as a predictor of immunity. " 05/01/2011 - "The aim of this study was to assess whether varicella severity in infants below one year of age was associated with the level of anti-varicella zoster virus (VZV) maternal antibodies. " 08/01/2007 - "The objective of this study was to assess the seroprevalence of varicella zoster virus (VZV) antibodies in military recruits in Singapore and to ascertain the predictive value of a self-reported history of varicella. " 09/01/2005 - "This study assessed the seroprevalence of varicella antibodies in children and adolescents in Spain and evaluated the reliability of two methods for detecting susceptible individuals: (1) parental-reported history of varicella and (2) medically-documented histories maintained by the pediatrician. "

Therapies and Procedures

1.	Transplants (Transplant) 03/01/2006 - "The patient, who was re-transplanted in the absence of signs of varicella zooster reactivation, is now well and disease free 3 yr after second liver transplant." 08/01/2003 - "Further prospective randomized trials are required to evaluate the management of pediatric liver transplant patients infected with varicella." 08/01/2003 - "There have been few previous studies monitoring the course of pediatric liver transplant patients with acute varicella. " 03/27/2011 - "A varicella-zoster virus (VZV) immediate early 62 (IE62)-specific CD8 memory T-cell clone was single cell sorted from a VZV seronegative renal transplant candidate after response to live attenuated varicella vaccination. " 04/01/2005 - "Indications for varicella vaccination post-transplant."
2.	Drug Therapy (Chemotherapy) 01/01/1992 - "The control group comprised 92 ALL and 25 NHL patients receiving chemotherapy in remission who were nonvaccinated and susceptible to varicella. " 11/09/2009 - "Despite protective isolation and prophylactic treatment, seronegative children with ALL have a high risk of varicella during or shortly after chemotherapy. " 11/09/2009 - "Patient records were reviewed to describe varicella exposures, eruptions and vaccinations during chemotherapy (24-30 months) and the following six months of immune recovery. " 11/09/2009 - "[Varicella-associated morbidity in children undergoing chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia]." 09/01/2008 - "We prospectively evaluated the feasibility of a varicella vaccination programme of household contacts of varicella-negative children receiving antineoplastic chemotherapy. "
3.	Day Care (Partial Hospitalization) 05/01/2005 - "Our data demonstrate that the varicella Oka/GSK vaccine used in clinical practice is highly effective in prevention of varicella (especially moderate/severe disease) among children, including those attending day-care centers." 04/01/2006 - "Descriptive study carried out through inquiries with parents of 664 children who acquired varicella after admission to day care centers in Taubaté (population: 244,165, census of 2004), a prosperous city in the State of São Paulo. " 11/01/1998 - "This study emphasizes the important socioeconomic impact of varicella in the day care setting in France." 11/01/1998 - "Cost of varicella in France: a study in day care centers." 10/17/2013 - "Changes in migration and day care usage will influence the age-specific risk on varicella and should therefore be monitored. "
4.	Chemoprevention 12/01/1986 - "In the case of influenza and varicella immune prophylaxis and chemotherapy/chemoprophylaxis are possible. " 03/01/1986 - "After a discussion of the principles of antiviral chemotherapy, treatment and chemoprophylaxis of the following virus infections are reviewed in detail: the various manifestations of herpes simplex virus infections, varicella-zoster, cytomegalovirus infections, Epstein-Barr virus infections, laryngeal papillomas, and influenza A. " 10/01/1997 - "The issues most frequently addressed in a travel clinic include treatment of traveler's diarrhea, malaria chemoprophylaxis, and immunizations, for hepatitis A, typhoid fever, tetanus/diphtheria, influenza, pneumococcus, hepatitis B, polio, meningococcus, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, and rabies. " 12/01/2000 - "While oral acyclovir chemoprophylaxis is probably beneficial in populations with chicken pox." 01/01/1992 - "Early, aggressive therapy with acyclovir seems to abort the catastrophic consequences of varicella pneumonia, while oral acyclovir chemoprophylaxis is probably beneficial in high-risk populations with chickenpox."
5.	Injections 01/01/2008 - "In 2005, Castile and Leon added chicken pox vaccine injections to its childhood vaccination schedule for eleven year-olds subject to coming down with this disease. " 02/01/2007 - "Given the overlap in MMR and varicella vaccination schedules, development of a combined vaccine appears logical and would facilitate the introduction of 2 doses of varicella vaccination in healthy children with no additional injections. " 02/01/2004 - "The risk of developing varicella >42 days postvaccination during the 10-year observation period was 3.3-fold lower (P < 0.001) in children who received two injections than in those who received one injection (2.2% vs. 7.3%, respectively). " 02/01/2004 - "Most cases of varicella reported in recipients of one or two injections of vaccine were mild. " 05/31/1924 - "Rabbits could not be actively immunized against Virus III by injections of whole blood, vesicle fluid, or nasal washings from patients with varicella. "