CHICKEN POX - What are the Ingredients of Chickenpox Vaccine and Its Side Effects

BY A R ON MAY 23, 2011

Chicken pox is a highly contagious disease that is caused by the varicella zoster virus (VZV). The patient will have red rashes all over the body. These rashes become filled with liquid and become itchy. This disease is especially dangerous in pregnant women and neonates. It is a good thing that it can be prevented through vaccination.

• The vaccine used against chickenpox uses live yet attenuated strain of bacteria.
• The vaccine can also be used to prevent other viral ailments, including Herpes zoster and Postherpetic neuralgia.
• The vaccine is administered to all children under the age of 13 and those who are older than that but has never had chickenpox before.
• The vaccine is administered to the fatty tissues.
• However, it is very important to remember that the vaccine should not be administered to people who are pregnant, have serious allergic reactions to neomycin and gelatin, and those with serious medical conditions such as HIV and cancer.

Chickenpox Vaccine Ingredients

• The vaccine is comprised of attenuated or live strains of the virus. These strains are specifically created with reduced virulence to make them harmless yet still have the same genetic makeup as the virus, enough to be recognized by the body’s immune system.
• The attenuated virus is created through passage of the virus to tissue culture, live animals, and embryonated eggs.

Chicken Pox Vaccine Side Effects

• The vaccine for chickenpox does not usually cause serious side effects. Most of the time, the side effects are mild. Some of these are:
  • Fever
  • Stiffness at injection site
  • Redness at injection site
  • Soreness at injection site
  • Mild rashes around the injection site
• Still, this does not mean that serious complications will not occur. It is still best to stay vigilant and watch the injected patient for signs of complications. Such complications include:
  • Seizures
  • Anaphylaxis
  • Pneumonia

Chicken Pox Vaccine Reaction

• When the vaccine was first developed, it caused a few deaths and serious reactions to those who had been administered. Still, there were countless patients who have benefited from the vaccine so that benefits far outweigh the risks of experience these negative reactions.
• The attenuated vaccine is administered to the patient. The attenuated virus will slowly reproduce. This is the reason why there is rarely a need for boosters and that there is a very small risk that it will not be effective.

Source: http://www.simple-remedies.com/