Almost everyone in the United States used to get chickenpox, usually when they were children. But chickenpox has become much less common. This is because 4 in 5 children now get the chickenpox vaccine. The vaccine has been used in the United States for 10 years.

Chickenpox is caused by a

 

 

 

 

 

viruses
Viruses are microbes (tiny organisms) that need the cells of humans or other animals to exist. They use the machinery of cells to reproduce. Then they spread to other cells in the body.

 

 

 

 

 

virus. You catch it from other people who have it. You can get it if they cough or sneeze around you. You can also catch it from the fluid that comes out of the blisters in the rash.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Coole L, Law B, McIntyre P.
Vaccines for preventing varicella in children and adults (Cochrane review).
In: The Cochrane Library. Update Software, Oxford, UK.

 

 

 

 

 

¹

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Klassen TP, Hartling L, Wiebe N, et al.
Acyclovir for treating varicella in otherwise healthy children and adolescents (Cochrane review).
In: The Cochrane Library. Wiley, Chichester, UK.

 

 

 

 

 

²

Chickenpox is very easy to catch. If you haven't had chickenpox before and you haven't had the vaccine, you have a 9 in 10 chance of getting it after coming in contact with someone who has it.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Coole L, Law B, McIntyre P.
Vaccines for preventing varicella in children and adults (Cochrane review).
In: The Cochrane Library. Update Software, Oxford, UK.

 

 

 

 

 

¹ You can catch chickenpox from someone a day or two before they know that they have it.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Klassen TP, Hartling L, Wiebe N, et al.
Acyclovir for treating varicella in otherwise healthy children and adolescents (Cochrane review).
In: The Cochrane Library. Wiley, Chichester, UK.

 

 

 

 

 

²

If you don't know whether you've had chickenpox before, you can have a blood test to find out. If you've had chickenpox in the past, you'll probably be immune to it. This means you can't get it again.

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