Chickenpox risk factors

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Michael Maddaleni, B.S. Aravind Reddy Kothagadi M.B.B.S [2]

Overview

Risk factors which increase the likelihood of contracting chickenpox include, people without a history of chickenpox in the past, individuals who are not immunized against chickenpox, newborns, especially those born prematurely (less than 1 month or born to mothers who never contracted chickenpox prior to pregnancy), immunocompromised individuals, cancer patients and the use of immunosuppressant drugs.

Risk factors which increase the likelihood of contracting chickenpox are as follows: ^[1]^[2]

No history of chickenpox
Not immunized for varicella
Newborns, preterms and infants born to unsensitized mothers
Pregnancy
Infants born at less than 28 weeks gestation or who weigh less than or equal to 1000 grams regardless of maternal immune status.
Immunodeficient states:
- Cancer patients
- Use of immunosuppressant drugs

↑ Leung TF, Chik KW, Li CK, Lai H, Shing MM, Chan PK, Lee V, Yuen PM (2000). “Incidence, risk factors and outcome of varicella-zoster virus infection in children after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation”. Bone Marrow Transplant. 25 (2): 167–72. doi:10.1038/sj.bmt.1702119. PMID 10673675.
↑ Miller GG, Dummer JS (2007). “Herpes simplex and varicella zoster viruses: forgotten but not gone”. Am. J. Transplant. 7 (4): 741–7. doi:10.1111/j.1600-6143.2006.01718.x. PMID 17391119.