Chicken pox vaccine?

[meakit]

This debate has been raised today on the bbc news website

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8557236.stm

I was just wondering what people think about vaccinating against chicken pox.

When my 3 children recently had chicken pox over a 4 week period it was one of the hardest most miserable experiences of my life. Not to mention awful for them. 2 of them had it terribly badly, my 18 month old ended up with a secondary, potentially life threatening secondary infection called cellulitis for which he had to have emergency hospital treatment. When I saw my children, covered in spots and sicker than they had ever been, I was furious that we are not vaccinated against it in the UK.

We have friends in the US and Canada who were shocked that we in the UK still all go through this, when they are all vaccinated. For them it is a thing of the past. Isnt that great?

Another issue is that, while I am a stay at home mum so this wanst an issue for me, if I worked Id have had to take 4 weeks off.

And what about the threat to the baby in the early stages of pregnancy? Children are infectious for a couple of days before the 1st spots appear making it hard for pregnant mums to avoid it.

And what about protecting people with compromised immune systems, those under going cancer treatment etc?

Finally, what about the 10% or so of adults who dont catch it as children. They are at risk of very serious illness when they are exposed.

I think the NHS is cost saving by relying on the anti-vaccination sentiment created by 1 scientific paper, now totally discredited, about the MMR. And also relying on the fact that as a society we just put up with chicken pox. Its not a rite of passage, its a horrible, dangerous, totally preventable infectious disease. The fact that my own children wont have to go through it again is not really a comfort because I know that every single other parent and child in the country will have to go through it until the vaccination policy changes.

Id love to hear what other people think?

[The Nappy Lady]

Don't know if I have this right but thought if you get chicken pox vaccine then you are more likely to get Shingles in adulthood and that is a more serious illness?

Could be wrong but am sure I was told this at some point.

I agree CP is a total pain though, youngest still to have it and just praying it happens at a time that isn't too disruptive.

Molly

[Sanne Panne]

We've been planning it for a while and will probably get our 20 month old vaccinated privately. No point getting the nasty disease and it's been part of the general vaccination programme in the US for quite a long time now - I'm not afraid of chicken pox being dangerous for my child but it's still quite nasty and takes a long time to clear up and I'm not keen on my toddler infecting our new baby to be if she gets it this year (which is quite possible) - the baby won't become immune from getting it this young and would therefore have to get it again.

I don't think we should immunise against every single "health inconvenience" - we need to get our kids' immune systems to be activated as well - but chicken pox is no fun so we're having it done in addition to the regular vaccination programme. Just my opinion of course...

[Sanne Panne]

The Nappy Lady Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Don't know if I have this right but thought if you

> get chicken pox vaccine then you are more likely

> to get Shingles in adulthood and that is a more

> serious illness?

>

> Could be wrong but am sure I was told this at some

> point.

>

Shingles vaccinations are being developed as well and should definitely be available by the time our kids' generation reaches the vulnerable age for shingles. Does make you think about the elimination of one disease allowing other diseases to pop up but I think the vaccinations in the current schedule have been given for long enough to know they don't cause this type of domino effect...

[Smiler]

I hadn't realise that chickenpox could lead to complications, sounds awful meakit.

The NHS website says this: http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1032.aspx?CategoryID=62&SubCategoryID=63

Re. shingles, the site isn't clear who is at more risk of shingles, people who have had the vaccine or those who haven't. I know several people, all of whom had chicken pox as a child (without any nasty complications), who have had shingles and it is horrible.

Is there anywhere locally offering this vaccine privately?

[Smiler]

Also this info on another site http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Chickenpox-(Varicella).htm

[meakit]

Shingles and chicken pox are caused by the same virus. Basically, you catch chicken pox, get better and then the virus lies dormant in your body for the rest of your life. When you are elderly or otherwise vulnerable it can reactivate and thats shingles.

Each time an adult spends time with a child which chicken pox they effectively get a booster, enhancing their immunity to the virus and protecting them against shingles.

The people at risk of shingles, if children were vaccinated, would be us lot. Not the children.

There are also currently calls to vaccinate over 70s against shingles. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8487987.stm

If this goes ahead, then why not give children, and families, the benefit of childhood vaccination against CP?

Finally, according to the BBC article, there is no evidence in the US where all children are vaccinated that there is a higher incidence of shingles in the adult population.

Can anyone tell me - if you get vaccinated and never contract chicken pox can you get shingles at all? It seems to me that if the virus has never got into your system it wouldnt be possible to get shingles.

Im really interested to hear that some people are getting their children the vaccine privately. I wish I had done that.

[KatsuQueen]

I'd be interested in a chicken pox vaccination for MiniKatsu too. Where do people get them done?

[Sanne Panne]

We're going here http://www.childrensimmunisation.com/html/index.htm?gclid=CMX1zLKmrqACFQWElAodxVDRZg

Vaccine costs ?95 but you have to register with them as well at a cost of ?50. Harley Street really is a black hole for money. Clinics run on Saturday and next available date is 10th April I believe. For other clinics try googling private vaccinations (etc).

[helena handbasket]

I was quite surprised that this isn't done here. My son was born in Canada and had it at his one year vaccinations. Since living here he has played with some seriously spotty children and never had a spot himself so I'm certain it works and considering how many other nasty bugs these little guys get I'm so glad that we won't have to contend with that one.

The information on the Health Canada website says that between 90-95 % of Canadian children were getting chicken pox before the vaccine, and since the vaccine has only been available for about ten years I'd say that the majority of people getting shingles have had chicken pox. Apparently the vaccine is available to all ages, but it doesn't mention if getting it as an adult would improve one's immunity to shingles. Sounds like a good google search for someone?

[Ann]

All I know is that you can't get shingles unless you've had chicken pox, but you can catch chicken pox off someone with shingles if you've never has the disease.

I'm not sure there is such a thing as a vaccine against shingles as it is in effect, the chicken pox virus which will still lie dormant. But I could be wrong. I also understood that the prevalence of shingles was worse if you hadn't had a primary chicken pox infection and shingles is usually a more unpleasant illness.

[chirombo]

The shingles vaccine is basically the same as the chicken pox vaccine ie based on the same virus, varicella zoster, but it is more potent. It is used in adults over 60, in some countries, and possibly in the future in the UK. The less potent chicken pox vaccine is used for children and younger adults who have not had ch. pox.

I have read that the possible increase in shingles in the older population would last for about 50 years. ie as generations of vaccinated children grow up they will not be susceptible to shingles having never contracted the virus in the 1st place. Eventually the virus could be eradicated... in theory. The problem, as with all vaccines, is getting enough of the population vaccinated. It worked with small pox.....

[helena handbasket]

Looks like Canada does actually offer a shingles vaccination for seniors but it's out of pocket. The stats aren't great, seems like it's better at reducing symptoms with only a 53% prevention rate. Better than nothing I guess. And great if you're in that 53%.

So it doesn't look like there is any reason for most people to get either of these things anymore. I suspect that the cost of these illnesses on the system is far greater than the cost of the vaccinations, especially from what I know in family experience is a senior with shingles can be hospitalized for easily a month. Hmmmmmm

[buggie]

In 11yrs of paediatric nursing I've seen less than a handful of serious illness related to chickenpox, and while the complications are not nice, it is no where near as risky as measles - and easily treated - eg the cellulitis would have required anti biotics (?via a drip for a few days) but I hope resolved within a few days.

I'm fully behind the immunisation programme but think this is more one of convenience than really offering long term protection.

In pregnancy it is only risky if you haven't got the varicella antibodies in your blood (which you will if you have had chickenpox) and is tested along with rubella/hiv/hepatitis B on your inital booking bloods.