Chickenpox (varicella) vaccine: benefits, schedule, and side effects

Giving immunization to children is very important to prevent the spread of dangerous diseases, one of the easily contagious skin diseases is chickenpox. However, the risk of transmission with more severe conditions is higher in children and adults who have never received the chickenpox vaccine through an immunization program. So, giving varicella vaccine can reduce the risk of contracting chickenpox. The following is a complete explanation of the varicella vaccine.

What is the chickenpox (varicella) vaccine?

Varicella immunization is a way to prevent the spread and transmission of chickenpox which most often occurs in children.

The benefit of immunization is that it can prevent the spread of chickenpox transmission. The more people who get the vaccine, the less chance of contracting this disease.

The transmission of chickenpox can take place easily through the air, exposure to mucus secreted by the sufferer when sneezing or coughing, and direct contact with chickenpox resilience.

An infected person can continue to transmit the virus from the appearance of fever at the beginning to the boil drying out and peeling off the skin.

Therefore, people who have contracted smallpox need to be quarantined and limit social interactions with other people until they are completely cured.

Although in general the symptoms of chickenpox are not dangerous, complications of this disease can also cause death.

Before the discovery of a vaccine, it was noted that the mortality rate could reach 100 people from 11,000 patients who were hospitalized intensively. By doing vaccinations, you can reduce this risk.

Indeed, there are no clinical trials that definitively determine how long the protective effect of the chickenpox vaccine will last.

From several studies recorded by the CDC, it is known that vaccines can provide effective protection (90-97 percent) for 7 to 10 years. However, the body's immunity to varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection generally lasts a lifetime.

A person who has received the vaccine may still get chickenpox even though the risk is small. Even if infected, symptoms are usually mild and unobtrusive.

How does the chickenpox (varicella) vaccine work?

Chickenpox is caused by infection with the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). The chickenpox vaccine is made from the VZV virus that has been attenuated.

This means that the components of the virus that causes chickenpox are modified and ensure that they do not release harmful toxins so that they can build protection in the body against infection with the virus.

The vaccine that is injected into the body will trigger the immune system to react to form antibodies.

In the article Varicella (Chickenpox) Vaccine Written by researchers from Harvard Medical School, the chickenpox vaccine can activate lymphocytes, namely T cells, which play a role in fighting viral replication.

On average (78-90 percent) antibodies will fully form within 4-8 weeks of administration of the second vaccine dose. Meanwhile, once the antibodies are formed the vaccine has an effectiveness of preventing viral infection by 70 to 90 percent.

Immunization for chickenpox has actually been intensively carried out since 1995 to reduce the number of sufferers of this contagious skin disease. Starting in 2005, chickenpox immunization is available as a combination vaccine which also contains other components of the viral antigen.

The price of the chickenpox (varicella) vaccine varies depending on the type of vaccine given, such as:

• Varicella: IDR 400,000 to IDR 480,000
• Varivax: IDR 550 thousand to IDR 630 thousand
• Varilix: IDR 460 thousand to IDR 520 thousand

Varicella vaccine called Varivax can be given to babies aged 12 months, adolescents and adults.

Who should get chickenpox vaccine?

Chickenpox (varicella) immunization can be given to infants and adults at different times of administration. Here are the details.

Babies and children

Based on the immunization schedule from the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI), giving the chickenpox (varicella) vaccine to babies can be started from the time they are 12 months or one year old. This schedule remains the same even though your little one has previously been infected with the varicella-zoster virus (VZV).

However, for children over 12 years of age, IDAI recommends that they be given twice at a distance of 4-8 weeks. In contrast to the hepatitis B vaccine, which is only administered until infants are under 1 year of age.

Considering that most cases of chickenpox occur in children under the age of 13 years, it is recommended that children aged less than 13 years and who have never been infected.

However, the best age to get chickenpox vaccine is before school age.

Adults

Meanwhile for adults there is no standard age and vaccine schedule. The first varicella immunization can be obtained at any dose of the vaccine, but preferably as soon as possible.

However, the new adult vaccine will be effective in producing strong antibodies to the chickenpox virus after the second immunization which is carried out 4-8 weeks from the first immunization.

Adults are strongly advised to immunize because chickenpox in adults who have never been infected has the potential to cause more severe symptoms.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes several groups of people who are very important to get the varicella vaccine, namely:

• Health workers
• Teacher
• Teens and adults living with children
• Military members
• Traveler
• Social workers (nursing home nurses and babysitters)

Vaccines also need to be given as soon as possible to people who have recently been exposed to the VZV virus.

According to the Immunization Action Coalition, vaccines have a 70-100 percent chance of preventing infection if given less than 72 hours after exposure to the virus.

Can you still get chickenpox vaccine even though you have been infected?

Quoting from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), you must get chickenpox immunization within 3-5 days of exposure. Vaccines are still recommended even if someone has been exposed to the virus for more than 5 days.

If you have had smallpox before, you will need 2 vaccines with a minimum interval of 28 days.

Who can't receive the chickenpox vaccine?

Although vaccines have many benefits, there are also people who are advised to postpone vaccination or even not recommend it at all.

The ban on chickenpox immunization is carried out because the vaccine can trigger an allergic reaction that threatens life safety. These groups of people are:

• People who have a weak immune system because they are sick
• People who have an allergy to gelatin or the antibiotic type neomycin
• People who have severe allergies from previous vaccine use
• Pregnant women or women undergoing a pregnancy program

In fact, it is not yet known in detail about the side effects of this immunization in pregnant women who are infected with chickenpox or not.

If you or your child is one of those with the above health conditions, before immunization you should first consult a doctor.

What are the side effects of chickenpox vaccine?

One thing that may concern you is the danger from viruses varicella-zoster that lives in the vaccine. Instead of preventing, can't the virus actually cause disease?

The virus has been weakened so that it will not return to infect your body. In addition, just like the consumption of medical drugs that can lead to certain health effects, the chickenpox vaccine also has side effects.

However, the side effects caused by vaccines are not very significant. This vaccine is quite safe and can be tolerated when it reacts in the body. Health problems are generally caused by injection.

Vaccine injection can cause swelling of the skin. The side effects that are quite noticeable usually occur from the old version of the chickenpox vaccine, namely fever and the appearance of a red rash on the skin.

In some cases of side effects that tend to be moderate, the vaccine reaction in the body can also trigger respiratory problems. However, side effects like this are very rarely found in the use of the chickenpox (varicella) vaccine.

When to see a doctor

Vaccines can have very serious side effects when they are given to people with certain health conditions. Although they are very rare, serious side effects of vaccines can cause:

• decrease in the number of blood cells
• respiratory system disorders, including pneumonia
• damage to brain cells
• Reye's syndrome

The side effects above are very rare, so you don't need to worry about giving your little one the vaccine. Children who are not immunized or children who are immunized late have more severe side effects of exposure to the disease.

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