chickenpox immunity

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Specializes in Med-Surg, LTC.

If someone had chickenpox as a child, is lifetime immunity against varicella zoster guaranteed or do you need to do titers to verify?

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I had titers for everything one time due to losing my shot records. Not to answer your question, but my titer for chickenpox was off the scale it was so high. The person who gave me my results told me I was immune for several lifetimes. Thought it was funny at the time.

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Specializes in ED.

Most people have lifetime immunity, but if you don't have your records then your employer will likely ask for titers.

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Specializes in mental health, military nursing.

Titers are required, and many people need a varicella booster if you work in an at-risk area like peds.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, LTC.

Did you have the vaccine or the infection?

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It's best to get titres done because then you know for sure.

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I'm pretty sure once you've had chicken pox you are immune but have a chance of getting shingles once you reach a certain age. I think it's over 60. I'm not totally sure though

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Tele.

I had chicken pox when I was 2, so when I started NS (when I was 35), I assumed I would be immune.

I had to have titers drawn anyways, to prove immunity, and when the results came in, my titers were not high enough. So I ended up having to have the vaccine, even though I had already had the disease.

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Specializes in IMC, ED.

Random question a bit off topic. I never had CP, but had been exposed as a child many times. I had the vaccine 2007, then I still had to have titers done for my new job 2008. Titers came back and they were low. Does anyone know how long I wait before I can get another vaccine? I occasionally work with people in an active shingles outbreak. How at risk am I since I have been exposed with no infection in the past? Any experts in Infectious disease out there? :)

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I had titers for everything one time due to losing my shot records. Not to answer your question, but my titer for chickenpox was off the scale it was so high. The person who gave me my results told me I was immune for several lifetimes. Thought it was funny at the time.

What were those titers required for you? In our facility we are only required Hep B titers.

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Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.
What were those titers required for you? In our facility we are only required Hep B titers.

Some units especially neonatal or mother baby require additional titers to diseases such as chickenpox as well as measles, mumps, rubella. The unit I work for wasn't that strict until they heard from a nurse who moved and found out days after she left (and had worked in our unit) that she had chickenpox. Many babies had to get the immune globin and were placed on isolation. Right after that everyone had to go for titers and all new employees. We also question mothers about their chickenpox status now. It is very serious to newborns especially preterm infants.

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I had chickenpox and it was hell. I was off for 1.5week till it was safe for me to work. I think i got the pox from my co-worker too. Both of us were on sick leave.

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