The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 277 No 7425 p545
4 November 2006

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· Supermarket pharmacy
· Pfizer products (2)
· Professional image
· Paracetamol
· Varicella
· Psychotropic medicines
· Dispensing

Letters to the Editor

Varicella

A commonly held but incorrect view

From Dr I. Iheanacho

The article on chickenpox and shingles infection (PJ, 14 October, p453) discussed potential consequences of primary infection with varicella zoster virus infection in pregnancy. In doing so, it stated: “Infection between 20 and 36 weeks’ gestation appears not to affect the fetus, but may lead to shingles in the first few years of life.” The view that maternal chickenpox infection at beyond 20 weeks’ gestation cannot lead to fetal damage is commonly held but incorrect. As Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin recently highlighted,^1,2 there is published evidence that infection up until at least week 28 can result, rarely, in fetal varicella syndrome³ (a condition much more commonly associated with maternal infection before 20 weeks). Following our citation of this evidence, the Department of Health⁴ and the Health Protection Agency⁵ have amended their respective guidance on chickenpox to indicate the possibility of fetal damage from maternal infection at beyond 20 weeks.

Ike Iheanacho
Editor
Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin

References

1. Chickenpox, pregnancy and the newborn. DTB 2005;43:69–72.

2. Chickenpox, pregnancy and the newborn: a follow-up. DTB 2005;43:94–5.

3. Tan M, Koren G. Chickenpox in pregnancy: revisited. Reproductive Toxicology 2006;21:410–20.

4. Department of Health.Varicella (PDF 160K).

5. Health Protection Agency. General information — chickenpox (varicella)

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