Varivax and Food

• Generic Name: varicella virus vaccine
• Dosage Forms: injection, powder, lyophilized, for suspension
• Other Brand Names: Varivax

Varicella (commonly known as chickenpox) is a common childhood disease that causes fever, skin rash, and a breakout of fluid-filled blisters on the skin. Most people who receive this vaccine will not get chickenpox, or will get only a mild case and will recover faster.

Chickenpox is usually mild, but it can be serious or even fatal in young infants and in adults. It can lead to severe skin infection, breathing problems, brain damage, or death. A person who has had chickenpox can develop herpes zoster (also called shingles) later in life, which causes painful blisters, skin infections, severe nerve pain, and hearing or vision problems, which may last for months or years.

Chickenpox is spread from person to person through the air, or by coming into contact with the fluid from a chickenpox blister.

Varicella virus vaccine is used to help prevent these diseases in adults and children who are at least 12 months old.

This vaccine works by exposing you to a small dose of the virus or a protein from the virus, which causes the body to develop immunity to the disease. This vaccine will not treat an active infection that has already developed in the body.

Like any vaccine, varicella virus vaccine may not provide protection from disease in every person.