Evaluating the Impact of Moderate and Severe Varicella Infections on Danish Children Under 18 Years Old: A Comprehensive Analysis From 2015 to 2023.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Varicella (chickenpox) caused by varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is a highly contagious pediatric disease. While it typically manifests as a mild disease, complications leading to hospitalization are not uncommon. Knowing the current disease burden, seasonality and risk groups is pivotal for evidence-based decisions on the introduction of a varicella vaccine.

Methods

Using the Danish National Patient Register and medical helpline records from the Capital Region, we estimated the burden of VZV infections among children younger than 18 years in Denmark from 2015 to June 2023.

Results

We identified 14,443 cases with annual incidence rates of 325/100,000 children for mild-to-moderate varicella cases (helpline calls), 35/100,000 for moderate-to-severe cases (outpat

SUBMITTER: Egeskov-Cavling AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11812654 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature