Herpes Doctor

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.

Chickenpox is caused by the virus Varicella Herpes Zoster (VZV). It
is very easy to catch as it travel through the humidity in the air.
Most children will get chickenpox and will not get it again as
the body has produced antibodies to fight potential outbreaks of the
latent VZV virus which will stay in the body
permanently after chickenpox. It may reactivate and cause shingles in
1 in 5 adults.

Adults who didn't have chickenpox in childhood are advised to get
the chickenpox vaccine. Although it will not eliminate the risk
of chickenpox, it will reduce it considerably and if you do get it, it
will be very mild and manageable.

If You Have Not Had Chickenpox - Get the Chickenpox Vaccine

The vaccine is usually referred to as the Varicella vaccine after
the virus Varicella Herpes Zoster that causes chickenpox. The
vaccine is actually a shot of the virus, but so little that the body
will produce antibodies and fight it just as if you had
chickenpox, but on a much smaller scale. There may be very minor side
effects, such as fever or headaches, but the shot is quite safe. You do
not need a booster in later life.

Related Links

• The chickenpox vaccine
• What is the HZV virus?

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