(Dan tri) – Experts warn that varicella is not simply a “mild” disease as many parents still believe. Physicians have encountered numerous cases of children hospitalized with severe conditions due to parental complacency.
At a recent scientific conference in Ho Chi Minh City updating the latest World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations on varicella prevention, experts shared that varicella is an acute infectious disease with a very high transmission rate through respiratory droplets and direct contact.
The infection rate among non-immune individuals may reach up to 90%, with outbreaks occurring particularly easily in school settings. Varicella can also lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis, and skin infections, especially in young children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals.
Dr Do Thien Hai, Deputy Director of the Center for Tropical Diseases at the National Children’s Hospital, stated that varicella should not be considered a “mild” disease as many parents still assume. He has encountered numerous cases of children admitted to hospital in severe condition because parents underestimated the disease or continued sending their children to school despite early symptoms.
Experts discuss the severity of varicella (Photo: HL)
Dr Hai described one case in which a child continued attending school after initially developing only a few red spots. Within just a few days, multiple classmates subsequently developed fever, vesicular rash, and had to stay home from school due to varicella transmission.
In another case, an infant just over two months old contracted varicella from a family member. Due to the infant’s immature immune system, the disease rapidly progressed to severe pneumonia, requiring prolonged intensive treatment.
Dr Do Thien Hai emphasised that newborns, children with underlying medical conditions, and immunocompromised children are at particularly high risk of severe complications if infected with varicella. When symptoms such as fever, vesicular rash, or suspected varicella occur in these groups, parents should keep children home from school, avoid crowded environments, and seek medical evaluation promptly.
Newborns, children with underlying diseases, and immunocompromised children are at particularly high risk of complications if infected with varicella (Illustrative image: Adobe)
Associate Professor, Dr Pham Quang Thai, Deputy Head of the Department of Infectious Disease Control at the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, added that studies have demonstrated the high protective effectiveness of varicella vaccines, significantly reducing both disease incidence and severe complications.
In particular, newer-generation vaccines are manufactured using modern production processes without the use of antibiotics in culture media, contributing to higher standards of product safety and quality.
Many countries are gradually adopting two-dose vaccination strategies to enhance protection and maintain long-term immunity. This is also the approach recommended by numerous international health organisations to reduce outbreak risk and limit cases among older children and adults.
| Disease situation in Ho Chi Minh City
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control (HCDC), during epidemiological week 18 (from April 27 to May 3), the city recorded 416 dengue fever cases, representing a 24.3% decrease compared with the average of the previous four weeks. The cumulative number of dengue cases from the beginning of the year to week 18 exceeded 15,900 cases, with the highest incidence rates per 100,000 population recorded in An Nhon Tay, Tay Nam, and Tay Thanh wards. During the same period, Ho Chi Minh City also recorded 818 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease, a decrease of more than 36% compared with the average of the previous four weeks. The cumulative number of hand, foot and mouth disease cases reached more than 15,100. Areas reporting the highest incidence rates per 100,000 population included Con Dao Special Zone, Binh Khanh, and Long Dien. |
source: dantri.com.vn
