Varicella-Associated Adverse Events

What is disseminated varicella vaccine-strain viral disease?

Following administration of a live varicella vaccine, rare cases of varicella virus infection have been reported. Such infections can present as a varicella (chickenpox) rash on the skin or infection of another bodily organ. The Vaccine Injury Table defines a varicella vaccine-strain viral disease as a “varicella illness that involves the skin beyond the dermatome in which the vaccination was given and/or disease caused by vaccine-strain varicella in another organ.”

What is varicella vaccine-strain viral reactivation disease?

Following administration of a live varicella vaccine, rare cases of varicella virus reactivation have been reported. Such infections can present as herpes zoster (shingles) on the skin or infection of another bodily organ. The Vaccine Injury Table defines this phenomenon as the “presence of the rash of herpes zoster with or without concurrent disease in an organ other than the skin. Zoster, or shingles, is a painful, unilateral, pruritic rash appearing in one or more sensory dermatomes. For organs other than the skin, the disease must be demonstrated in the involved organ and not just through mildly abnormal laboratory values.”

What treatment is available?

Anti-viral medications, immunotherapy and pain medications may be available. However, treatment for varicella strain viral disease or viral reactivation will depend on the organs affected and the severity of the infection.

In limited circumstances, adverse events following varicella vaccination may satisfy the criteria outlined in the Vaccine Injury Table. Please contact us for a complimentary consultation.

The vaccine injury attorneys at Conway Homer help those who have varicella virus infection throughout the United States but also helps victims locally in Massachusetts including those in Worcester, Suffolk, and Springfield.

Recent Varicella Vaccination Case Results