The first varicella vaccine was created and approved for use in Japan in 1974. The vaccine is produced using a live attenuated strain.
After receiving positive results regarding efficacy and safety, as well as the ratio of development costs, the chickenpox vaccine for adults and children has been included in the immunization programs of some industrialized countries. Today, the mass use of the vaccine is quite common.
In Russia in 2008, the first vaccination against chickenpox was registered. The vaccine was called Varilrix. Since 2009, this vaccine has been included in regional immunization programs.
It should be said that the chickenpox vaccine is now used in more than 92 countries around the world, including the UK, Canada, Germany, France, Spain, Italy. The vaccine has been registered in some B altic countries. From the first registration to the present day, around the world, the chickenpox vaccine has been given about eleven million times. The efficacy and safety of the Varilrix vaccine has been proven in clinical trials conducted in manycountries of the world. This chickenpox vaccine fully complies with all WHO requirements.
Vaccination is approved for use in adults and children over one year old. Since 2009, the vaccine has been part of the regional immunization schedule for epidemic indications in Moscow.
It should be noted that the chickenpox vaccine is primarily used in people at risk. These include, in particular, those suffering from severe chronic diseases, patients with leukemia, patients receiving radiation therapy and immunosuppressive drugs, as well as those for whom an organ transplant is planned.
It must be said that immunization of individuals at risk is carried out in the absence of symptoms that would indicate a deficiency in cellular immunity and in accordance with the results of a clinical blood test.
Among the temporary contraindications to vaccination should be noted infectious pathologies, including acute course, as well as exacerbation of chronic pathologies. In such cases, the chickenpox vaccination is postponed until complete recovery or is carried out without exacerbation according to medical indications.
Immunization contraindications include severe immunodeficiency resulting from lymphoma, leukemia, HIV infection, use of high doses of corticosteroids and immunosuppressants.
Vaccination is not available for pregnant and lactating women. Chickenpox vaccine "Varilrix" is not administeredpatients who are prone to allergic reactions to the components of the drug, as well as who had allergic reactions during past injections.
As observations show, the introduction of the Varilrix vaccine contributes to the development of stable immunity. In children under twelve years of age, the effectiveness of immunization is on average about ninety-eight percent. In persons over the age of thirteen, the indicator of the protective properties of antibodies is estimated at almost one hundred percent.
