The changing epidemiology of varicella and herpes zoster in Hong Kong before universal varicella vaccination in 2014.

ABSTRACT: In Hong Kong, universal varicella vaccination started in July 2014. Before this, children could receive varicella vaccine via the private market. We analysed the epidemiology of varicella and zoster before universal vaccination. We estimated varicella vaccination coverage through surveys in preschool children. We estimated the burden of varicella and zoster with varicella notifications from 1999/00 to 2013/14, Accident and Emergency Department (A&E) attendance and inpatient admissions to public hospitals from 2004/05 to 2013/14. We fitted a catalytic model to serological data on antibodies against varicella-zoster virus to estimate the force of infection. We found that varicella vaccination coverage gradually increased to about 50% before programme inception. In children younger than 5 yea

SUBMITTER: Chan DYW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6533643 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature