文摘
Chickenpox is a common childhood problem. In otherwise healthy children, the disease is usually benign, although secondary complications can occur. Symptomatic therapy has long been the mainstay of treatment. Acyclovir use in such cases remains controversial secondary to the marginal benefit in relation to the additional cost incurred by an already costly disease. Advancements in the form of prevention have been made in an attempt to decrease the current hardship of VZV infection. The Oka strain of varicella vaccine should soon be available in the United States. Varicella vaccine has been shown to be immunogenic and well tolerated in healthy children. Lifetime follow-up is needed to determine the true duration of immunity and any effect on the epidemiology of adult varicella or recurrent zoster compared to natural infection. With the development of immunization, it is hoped that the varicella vaccine will become the next addition to the childhood vaccination schedule, possibly as a ȁc;quadrivalent” product with measles, mumps, and rubella. Widescale use of the varicella vaccine may render this once common childhood disease obsolete.