Varicella Vaccine

Immunosuppressive therapy can cause a more extensive reaction to a live vaccine therefore immuno suppression contraindicates the use of varicella vaccine. It is advisable not to give varicella vaccine to any patient who has received blood or plasma transfusions within the previous 5 months. Patient with leukemia, neoplastic disease or any blood dyscrasia should not recieve the vaccine. Because of the chances of anaphylactic reactions the vaccinee should remain in under medical supervision for 30 minutes after immunization. Varicella vaccine contains trace amounts of neomycin and should not be given to anyone with a history of neomycin hypersensitivity. Patients with a history of hypersensitivity to any component of the vaccine, including gelatin, should not receive varicella vaccine. It is recommended that varicella vaccine is not administered either during pregnancy, or within the three months before becoming pregnant. Vaccine should be used with caution in breast-feeding women. There is also a possibility of transmitting the virus from a newly vaccinated individual to other persons. Varcellia vaccine should not be administered intradermally and must under no circumtances be administered intravenously.In high risk patients varicellia vaccine should not be administered at the same time as other live attenuated vaccines.