Published online May 31, 1998.
https://doi.org/10.14776/kjpid.1998.5.1.88
A Clinical and Epidemiologic Study on Varicella in Children
Abstract
Purpose
Varicella is a common contagious illness and vaccine against it has been used in healthy Korean children. We studied clinical and epidemiologic features of varicella and the effect of vaccination.
Methods
We analyzed clinical and epidemiologic features of varicella and vaccination effect against it in children treated in Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital from March 1994 to December 1996.
Results
1) Total 73 cases of varicella, 46 male and 27 female patients were included. Annual incidence was 31, 20 and 22 cases from ′94 to ′96 respectively, with an increase during the period June to July and December to January. 2) Mean age was 46±37.2 months and 84.9% of the patients were younger than 7 years old including 16.4% of infants. 3) Varicella occurred after a contact with varicella patients in 40(54.8%) patients. 4) Fever developed in 44(60%) patients with mean 38.4±0.8℃ and persisted for mean 3±2.4 days. Nine(12.3%) patients had complications and eighteen(25%) patients were admitted for mean 4±2.1 days but all recovered. 5) Twenty(27.8%) patients were affected despite preceding vaccination against varicella but the number of vesicles decreased significantly in vaccinees(P<0.01). 6) The rate of secondary cases in healthy siblings was 27 out of 35(77.1%) and was not affected by preceding vaccination.
Conclusion
Varicella occurred mainly in children younger than 7 years old and showed seasonality. Because 27.8% of cases developed despite preceding vaccination and the rate of secondary cases was not affected by vaccination, further study for vaccine efficacy is necessary.
