Gannett Health Services
Ho Plaza
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853-3101
Tel: 607 255-5155
Email: gannett@cornell.edu
Chickenpox (varicella) is a highly contagious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VSV). The disease is usually mild in children but can be severe in adults and those with impaired immune systems. College students who have not had chickenpox should be vaccinated against this potentially serious disease.
Vaccination recommendations for college students
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American College
Health Association (ACHA) recommend that all college students without a history
of chickenpox receive the vaccine. Your Gannett clinicians agree. You can get the varicella vaccine at Gannett.
Symptoms of the disease
Chickenpox has a characteristic itchy rash, which then forms blisters that dry
and scab in four to five days. The rash can be the first sign of illness, sometimes
accompanied by fever and tiredness. An infected person can have skin lesions that
can be few in number to more than 500. Complications that may require hospitalization
increase with age. Adults are 10 times more likely than children to be hospitalized
with severe consequences of chickenpox. These consequences include pneumonia and
encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).
Transmission of the disease
Chickenpox is highly contagious. About 90 percent of individuals who have not
had chickenpox will get the disease if they are exposed to an infected person.
The virus can be spread from person to person through the air or by contact with
fluid from chickenpox blisters. The disease remains contagious from a day or two
before the rash appears until all the blisters form scabs.
Incidence of chickenpox
In the United States, chickenpox is very common. Virtually all individuals who
have not been vaccinated contract chickenpox by adulthood. Approximately 90 percent
of chickenpox cases occur in children 1 to 14 years of age, and most people will
have had chickenpox by their early 20s. About four million Americans develop chickenpox
each year. Nearly 11,000 have complications that require hospitalization, and
about 100 people die. Adults are more likely to die from chickenpox and its complications,
which increase with age. The highest incidence of chickenpox occurs between March
and May.
Risk for college students
Chickenpox can spread more easily in a college living environment, including
residence halls, classrooms, libraries, and other close quarters where students
spend a lot of time, which increases the likelihood for college students to contract
the disease.
The chickenpox vaccine
The chickenpox vaccine is safe and effective. The vaccine is approximately 80-90
percent effective in preventing disease. The most common side effect is soreness
at the site of injection. People over age 13 require two doses at least one month
apart. Most people who get vaccinated will not get chickenpox; and if they do
get chickenpox, it's usually very mild.
Shingles
Some people who have had chickenpox may develop shingles later in life. Shingles,
or herpes zoster, is caused by a reactivation of the same varicella virus that
causes chickenpox. Shingles is a painful infection, which may include a blistering
rash and severe burning pain, tingling, or extreme sensitivity to the skin. Symptoms
last about a month. Approximately one in five people in the United States develops
shingles. Studies are underway to determine if the chickenpox vaccine can help
prevent or reduce the severity of shingles later in life.
For more information
To learn more about chickenpox and the varicella vaccine, please talk with a health care provider at Gannett (255-5155). For general
information about chickenpox among college students, visit the websites of the
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, and the American College Health Association (ACHA).
Parents/Guardians of students under 18 years of age will need to provide informed consent in order for thier sons/daughters to receive vaccinations. Below are the Vaccine Immunization Statements provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Please review them carefully before providing your consent.
Emergencies
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