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VARIVAX Refrigerated is a vaccine used to help prevent chickenpox (varicella). It can be given to children 12 months of age
and older, teenagers and adults who are healthy.
Chickenpox is an infectious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus, or otherwise known as varicella virus. It occurs
in millions of people around the world each year, most often in children 5 to 9 years of age. Chickenpox is easily passed
from one person to another. It is commonly spread from person to person through the air by sneezing or coughing. Once a person
is infected, it usually takes about 2 to 3 weeks before symptoms of the infection start.
Symptoms of chickenpox include mild headache, moderate fever and general discomfort. These are followed by a rash of itchy,
little red spots which usually start on the chest, stomach or back, but can appear anywhere on the body. There may be only
a few spots or groups of spots, or even hundreds of spots that develop over the next 3 to 5 days. The spots will change into
clear blisters filled with fluid which then become cloudy, break open, dry, scab and heal, usually within 5 to 20 days.
Although chickenpox is generally a fairly harmless infection, it may be associated with serious complications and/or rarely
death. In children, the most common complications are bacterial skin infections. Less frequent but very serious complications
include pneumonia, inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), Reye's syndrome (which causes brain and liver damage), and death.
Severe disease and serious complications are more likely to occur in teenagers and adults.
VARIVAX Refrigerated contains a weakened strain of living varicella virus. This strain of live virus causes either mild or
no symptoms of infection.
It is not known whether VARIVAX Refrigerated will prevent chickenpox if it is given after you have been exposed to the natural
varicella virus. Therefore, vaccination before exposure is the best way to help protect against infection and possible serious
complications.
Groups of people who would particularly benefit from being vaccinated with VARIVAX Refrigerated include those who have not
been infected with chickenpox before and either:
work in jobs where they are at high risk of being infected,
are parents of young children, or
live in the same household as someone who has a poor immune system (such as people with organ transplants, certain cancers,
and HIV/AIDS) and has not had chickenpox before.
How it works
VARIVAX Refrigerated works by causing your body to produce its own protection against chickenpox. It does this by making disease-fighting
substances called antibodies to fight the varicella virus. If a vaccinated person comes into contact with live virus, the
body is usually ready to destroy it.
Only one injection of VARIVAX Refrigerated is needed to help protect against chickenpox in children aged 12 months to 12 years.
In persons aged 13 years and older, a second injection is required after the first injection.
After vaccination with VARIVAX Refrigerated, most people will produce enough antibodies against the varicella virus. However,
as with all vaccines, 100% protection against chickenpox cannot be guaranteed.
The chance of a severe reaction from VARIVAX Refrigerated is very small, but the risks from not being vaccinated are very
serious.
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