Until recently, chicken pox was pretty much an unavoidable fact of life. Most people think of it as a harmless rite of passage that we've had to endure and that our children will have to endure as well. However, a vaccine now exists that produces immunity to chicken pox in 70 to 90 percent of those immunized. But although it is available and recommended, it is not universally a part of the standard immunization package, and therefore, many parents are leery about trying it.

Before looking at the pros and cons of the vaccine, let's review the facts about the disease. Chicken pox, also known as varicella, is a highly-contagious illness caused by the varicella-zoster virus, a type of herpes virus. It is spread through the air through infected droplets of fluid that come from the nose or mouth through coughing or sneezing. Touching a chicken pox blister can also spread the disease. The infection begins seven to 21 days after exposure, and contagiousness begins about two days before the symptoms appear.

According to Dr. Jeff Bernholtz, who has a family practice in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, the majority of cases of chicken pox are mild and resolve without long-term ill effects. However, he says, "A small number of cases may lead to complications including scarring, secondary skin infections, pneumonia, oophoritis (infection of the ovaries), and of most concern, encephalitis (infection of the lining around the brain). There were about 50 to 100 deaths yearly in the United States from chicken pox before vaccinations were available."

Chicken pox is usually milder in younger children than in older children and adults. In Canada, out of 340,000 yearly cases of chicken pox, 1800 cases required hospitalization.

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