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Chickenpox and Traveling

If you are traveling you should be aware of the many types of diseases and illnesses that you may run into abroad. Chickenpox is one of them and while the United States has a vaccination program, many countries do not.

The CDC has put together some good information on travel and the risks of disease and illness. Here is an excerpt from their site on travel and Chickenpox. For the full article you can visit the link at the end of the story.

Description

Varicella (chickenpox) is the primary infection with the varicella zoster virus (VZV). It is a highly contagious rash illness transmitted by airborne or droplet pathways. The usual incubation period is 14-16 days (range 10-21 days). Second cases of varicella have been reported in immunocompetent persons but are rare. Following varicella, VZV establishes latency in sensory nerve ganglia. The virus can reactivate later in life, causing herpes zoster (shingles), usually localized to one to three dermatomes. Transmission of VZV to a susceptible person occurs through contact with either a person with varicella or, less commonly, a person with herpes zoster.

Occurrence

Before introduction of varicella vaccine in the United States in 1995, varicella was endemic, with virtually all persons being infected by adulthood. Since implementation of the varicella vaccination program, incidence has declined in all age groups, with the greatest decline among children aged 1-4 years. Data from passive and active surveillance have indicated a decline in varicella cases of 70%-84% from 1995 through 2001 (1-3). The downward trend in varicella has continued in the United States through 2005 with an approximately 90% decline in incidence from 1995 in active surveillance sites with high vaccine coverage (CDC, unpublished data).

Risk for Travelers

Varicella and herpes zoster occur worldwide, but varicella vaccine is routinely used for vaccination of children in only some countries, including the United States, Uruguay, Qatar, Australia, Canada, Germany and South Korea. The risk of varicella infection for travelers coming to the United States is lower than for travel anywhere else in the world. However, VZV is still widely circulating in the United States. Additionally, exposure to herpes zoster, while less common than varicella, poses a risk for varicella infection. In temperate climates, in the absence of vaccination, most varicella cases are reported among preschool- and school-aged children during winter and spring. Studies suggest that in tropical areas VZV infection occurs later during childhood and adolescence resulting in higher susceptibility among adults compared with temperate climates (2). Reasons for this difference in disease epidemiology are unclear. They may relate to the agent’s heat lability and/or to factors such as the tendency for less indoor crowding in tropical regions.

For more on International travel from the CDC

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