Chickenpox Vaccine
Definition
Chickenpox vaccine or varicella zoster vaccine (VZV) is an injection that protects children from contracting chickenpox (varicella), one of the most common childhood diseases.
Description
VZV consists of living but attenuated (weakened) varicella zoster, the virus that causes chickenpox. The weakened virus induces a child's immune system to develop antibodies against the varicella virus without causing the disease. Thus it prevents children from contracting chickenpox. Prior to the introduction of VZV, approximately 4 million Americans contracted chickenpox each year, and 95 percent of children contracted the disease before the age of 18. The vaccine first became available in the United States in 1995...
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