Instances of the chickenpox, caused by the varicella-zoster virus, began declining in the United States with the introduction of the varicella vaccination program in 1996. In 2006, physicians began administering 2-doses of the vaccine to combat flare-ups of varicella outbreaks. Since that time, fewer and fewer individuals have become infected with the varicella virus, according to data published in the Sept. 2 edition of the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Between 2005-2006 and 2013-2014, states reporting vaccination data cited an 85 percent decrease in the occurrence of chickenpox. The decrease was most significant among children ages 5 to 14 — the age group most likely to have received two doses of the vaccine.
The decline in cases of chickenpox will allow state health officials to focus more resources on examining the outbreaks that do occur. The enhanced ability of states to monitor chickenpox cases more closely will vastly improve data collection, which could subsequently improve preventative efforts.
"As varicella incidence continues to decline, more states are able to conduct case-based surveillance," wrote the report's authors. "Almost 80 percent of states are reporting case-based varicella data to CDC for use in national surveillance. However, the completeness of reported data varies, and data from critical variables are missing for approximately 40 percent of cases. Continued efforts by states to improve reporting and completeness of reported data will be valuable for accurately describing trends and epidemiology of varicella disease."
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