Should Chickenpox vaccine be included in the National immunization schedule in India?
Summary of "Should Chickenpox vaccine be included in the National immunization schedule in India?"
Varicella (chickenpox) is an acute, highly contagious viral disease with worldwide distribution. The highest prevalence occurs in the 4 - 10 year age group but tends to be more severe in adults. It may be fatal in neonates, immunocompromised persons, and normal adults, especially smokers. Varicella is usually a benign childhood disease, and rarely rated as an important public health problem, but this can be severe and even fatal in otherwise healthy children (< 1 out of every 10,000 cases). Chickenpox can cause pneumonia (23 out of every 10,000 cases), and is an important risk factor for developing severe invasive "strep" (group A streptococcal disease). Complications of varicella include bacterial infections (up to 5% of cases), decreased platelets, arthritis, hepatitis, pneumonia (more commonly in adults) or encephalitis (1 in 10,000 cases), which may cause a failure of muscular coordination, sometimes resulting in persistent sequelae or death. Varicella is the leading cause of vaccine-preventable death in children. Universal vaccination can cause a dramatic reduction in the incidence of varicella, associated complications, hospitalizations and fatality rates. In India, due to the high cost of the vaccine, it would be difficult to vaccinate a large percentage of the children. The government of India should consider the inclusion of varicella vaccine in the National Immunization Schedule with the help of International agencies.
Affiliation
Department of Community Medicine,Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS; Rohtak; Haryana, India.
Journal Details
This article was published in the following journal.
Name: Human vaccines
ISSN: 1554-8619
Pages:
Links
- PubMed Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21791972
- DOI: http://dx.doi.org/
Medical and Biotech [MESH] Definitions
Chickenpox Vaccine
A live, attenuated varicella virus vaccine used for immunization against chickenpox. It is recommended for children between the ages of 12 months and 13 years.
Immunization Schedule
Schedule giving optimum times usually for primary and/or secondary immunization.
Mumps Vaccine
A live attenuated virus vaccine of chick embryo origin, used for routine immunization of children and for immunization of adolescents and adults who have not had mumps or been immunized with live mumps vaccine. Children are usually immunized with measles-mumps-rubella combination vaccine.
Measles Vaccine
A live attenuated virus vaccine of chick embryo origin, used for routine immunization of children and for immunization of adolescents and adults who have not had measles or been immunized with live measles vaccine and have no serum antibodies against measles. Children are usually immunized with measles-mumps-rubella combination vaccine. (From Dorland, 28th ed)
Rubella Vaccine
A live attenuated virus vaccine of duck embryo or human diploid cell tissue culture origin, used for routine immunization of children and for immunization of nonpregnant adolescent and adult females of childbearing age who are unimmunized and do not have serum antibodies to rubella. Children are usually immunized with measles-mumps-rubella combination vaccine. (Dorland, 28th ed)
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