Yes, adults can catch chickenpox, but only if they didn't have
chickenpox in childhood and didn't have the chickenpox vaccine.
Chickenpox in adults can have serious, sometimes lethal,
complications. Pneumonia and encephalitis (infection of the brain)
are the main risks. Particularly at risk are smokers, those with
lung disease and pregnant women. Infection in the first half of
pregnancy can affect the baby and produce severe abnormalities.
Hospitalization of adults with chickenpox is quite normal. Adults
are more than 20 times more likely than children to die from this
disease.