I would like to point out, that Zostavax can cause shingles. I was a healthy 64 year old male who received the Zostavax vaccine on 2/5/08. Ten days later, my doctor diagnosed me with "classic shingles". He put me on Valtrex for 7 days and 1 month later was still suffering with red spots on my (right) chest, severe pain in my right arm and shoulder, and severe itching. I notified Merck and my doctor also did! I read Merck's "double blind" studies, and nowhere does it simply say: this vaccine can cause you to contract shingles. I have all the documentation as well as pictures. Please caution anyone who wants to gamble with their health. I don't believe Merck is being as honest as they should regarding the safety of this vaccine.
Adults, however, are much more likely than children to suffer dangerous complications. More than half of all chickenpox deaths occur among adults.
Yes, older adults can get chickenpox if they haven't had it before.
90% of adults are immune to chickenpox because it is a highly contagious disease that causes lifelong immunity. Most people got chickenpox as children prior to the approval of chickenpox vaccine.
Chickenpox is not usually fatal, but is more likely to kill teenagers and adults than it is to kill infants and children (see related link). Deaths and hospitalizations from chickenpox have dropped 90% in the US since introduction of chickenpox vaccine in 1995.
It is more dangerous to get chickenpox immediately at birth, when you're older, when you're pregnant, or when you have serious immunocompromise.
Study results reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that more than 90% of American adults are immune to the chickenpox virus.
Most people get chickenpox when they are young, which is good. Although children can pull through chicken pox easily, if not uncomfortably, it is much more devastating to adults. Plus, once you have it as a kid, the cells go into remission in your body, your B cells produce antibodies for chickenpox, and there's a extremely high chance that you will never get chickenpox again. But you can get it at any age.
adults account for less than 5% of all cases in the United States.
For children, chickenpox is not deadly, but if an adult catches it for the first time, it can be very dangerous. If an adult has a compromised immune system already, chickenpox can be deadly.Sure is.
Children: In some cases, children who have not had chickenpox may be offered the vaccine. Adults: Adults who are at risk, such as those who have never had chickenpox or have not been vaccinated, may also be advised to get vaccinated. Pregnant women: It is recommended that women who are planning to become pregnant should ensure they have had the chickenpox vaccine or have immunity before pregnancy, as chickenpox during pregnancy can cause complications. Contact : +44 0118 996 4203
Typically it is not dangerous for a baby to get chickenpox if the baby is otherwise healthy. Incidentally, babies under the age of 12 months who get chickenpox are more likely to get shingles later in life. Talk to your health care provider for information specific to your situation.
Chickenpox in adulthood does not have a special name. However, shingles is an infection that can result from later reactivation of your lifelong infection with chickenpox virus. It happens most often in adults.