Lost varicella immunity?

Nurses General Nursing

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Does anyone know if you can lose immunity to chicken pox? I had it as a child and do not have documentation for it. I was just tested for antibodies and shown to not have immunity...I very clearly remember having it. :eek:

Sooo, I need to be vaccinated. However, I am concerned about the risk of developing shingles. Does anyone have any knowledge about this? I did a search but couldn't find any real info.

Thanks!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Progressive Care.

Yes, one can absolutely loose varicella immunity. This is why shingles is more prevalent in older adults than in younger adults. As we age secondary immunity wanes and leaves one vulnerable to re-activation of the varicella virus that lies dormant in the spine.

Vaccination will cause the body to make antibodies and afford one protection. The vaccine is made from inactive virus, so it will not cause one to get shingles or chicken pox. Vaccination will prevent them.

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Thank you! For some reason my verbal history of having had chicken pox was always good enough (2 hospital volunteer jobs). I was tested for my nursing program and was suprised to find out I was no longer immune... I assumed since the 2 hospitals took the verbal history as evidence of immunity that meant we retained it.

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I am going through the same thing as I am getting ready to go to NS in Denver this April. Someone marked on my immunization record that I had the virus back in the 80's. Then when I asked my mom, she didn't recall me ever having it. So, I just decided to get the vaccine today (didn't want to pay for a titer) and after doing so, was told by my sister that she in fact gave chicken pox to me! Ugh! My doctor said it can't do any harm to get an extra vaccine or two, so I obviously am not worried, but who wants to get shots if they don't have to? I have never heard of losing immunity but my twin supposedly had chicken pox at the same time as I and later got a full blown case when he was 16. Better safe than sorry!

Good luck to you!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Progressive Care.

Yeah, IMHO it is definitely worth getting titres on all the vaccines. Immunity can wear off and sometimes one never develops immunity after the initial vaccination.

Thus the current recommendation for pertussis vaccination for adults...

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Specializes in Post Anesthesia.

I lost my varicella immunity in the back of a VW mini bus in 1975. No-wait- That was something else!

You can most certainly have diminishing immunity to varicella as time goes along. The CDC(?) has recently issued new guidelines for adult immunizations that include a shingles vaccine, as well as several others depending on circumstances. I don't know of many PCPs that routinely offer thier patients updated vaccinations according to current guidelines but it would be worthwhile to look up the updated list and review your options with your doctor if you are going to be working in health care. Pertussis, hepatitis, HPV, Shingles, as well as the seasonal vaccines are worth considering for anyone working in health care. One word of warning- check with your health ins carrier before going all-out with vaccines. They can get pricey and some carriers will not cover the cost. It'd be a shame to get protected from venerial warts, but drop dead from shock when you get the bill from you medical provider. There isn't a vaccine for rising health care costs.

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Suanna is right! I checked with my insurance who told me if I stayed within the "network," my out-of-pocket cost would be $15. If I had chosen to go elsewhere, it would be $139. $15 sounds much better to me!

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Specializes in A myriad of specialties.
I lost my varicella immunity in the back of a VW mini bus in 1975.

:yeah::yeah: Hahahaha, love it---you made me laugh with this statement! You're very witty!

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Specializes in Professional Development Specialist.

I had a titer done for nursing school and found I had no immunity to anything I had previously had or been vaccinated against. Yay! So I had to start my entire vaccine history over again. My chicken pox was borderline and I was pregnant, so I managed to get through school without getting that vaccine. Then my first few months of work I was exposed to shingles and guess what? Not so fun.

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Wow so this is more common than I thought. I am still good on everything else, so I will go ahead and be grateful that I only have to do my varicella vax :yeah:

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Isn't shingles basically a 'reactivation' of the chicken pox virus along the nerves? And when you DON'T have chicken pox immunity and are exposed to shingles, do you get chicken pox, or shingles? (just curious)

I've heard of many people getting chicken pox as older adults even though they were said to have it as kids.. I guess the argument that the vaccine wares off isn't nearly as valid when you consider the natural immunity does too. ;)

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Specializes in MR/DD.

I had a mild case of chicken pox when I was 5. I remember it very clearly because I was convinced that it was caused from a cut and paste project at school that involved chickens, was the cause of it LOL! I had a couple of lesions on my legs. Both of my siblings ended up very sick and my sister still has scars from it. This was in 1977.

Fast forward to 1999... both of my children received the varicella immunization. but hey both got a mild case of chicken pox from a cousin. (just a few lesions)

I however, ended up much like my siblings 20 years prior. I had lesions all over my torso, legs arms and even my face. This was NOT shingles the pox were very random and did not follow a nerve path. My doctor told me that it was possible to get chicken pox twice if the first case was very mild. And that even though my children were vaccinated a mild case can still occur.

with that being said, I am living proof that you can lose immunity to chicken pox.

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