Chickenpox Deaths Plummet With Help Of Vaccine

[The Straight Story]

Chickenpox Deaths Plummet With Help Of Vaccine

Ever since the chickenpox vaccine became routine for kids back in 1995, deaths from the virus, also known as varicella, have been dropping. A study in the journal Pediatrics out today tells us just how steep that drop has been.

In the 12 years after the one-dose vaccination program was launched, deaths from varicella dropped 88 percent overall compared with the prevaccine years. In absolute terms, deaths declined from 0.41 per million in 1990-1994 to 0.05 per million in 2005–2007. Among children and adolescents younger than 20 years, there was a precipitous 97 percent reduction in deaths. Deaths among people younger than 50 years declined almost as much.


The study was done by researchers at the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They looked at mortality data from 1990 to 2007.

Though the disease is barely fatal anymore, the vaccine doesn't provide perfect protection from illness. After one shot of the vaccine, about 25 percent of children still spread the varicella virus around, or get sick themselves.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/07/26/138683207/chicken-pox-deaths-plummet-with-help-of-vaccine?ps=sh_sthdl

[RaleighNCDUer]

1. There used to be 110+ chickenpox fatalities a year? I had no idea.

I always thought it was something everybody got, and everybody got over. I never heard of anyone dying of chickenpox.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

2. I believe it.

I had chickenpox at age 28. I wouldn't wish it on Hitler.

[RebelOne]

5. I had chicken pox when I about 12 years old.

I do not remember any pain or discomfort only those awful sores. One scab that I picked left a scar on my face for many years. But there is no trace of it now.

[SidDithers]

7. I hear ya. I was 34. Got it from my daughter...

I've never been so sick as I was with adult chicken pox.

Sid

[WyLoochka]

3. Shingles is worse for many

As far as pain goes - and the duration of it can be months. Haven't heard whether or not deaths can be attributed to Shingles.

Nevertheless, anyone who had chickenpox as a child should get a shingles vaccine shot.

[mcar]

4. I can attest to that

I had shingles in December. I still feel pain in the area on a near-daily basis. My doc said it could go on for a year.

[mzmolly]

6. "But the vaccine doesn't necessarily provide lifelong protection from varicella-related illness. "

Time will tell if adults comply with boosters and we don't see a resurgence of disease in adult populations. Regardless, I'm glad children are seeing a benefit from the vaccine.