VARICELLA HOSPITALISATION

Abstract

Background. The purpose of the retrospective study was to analyse hospitalisation for varicella.Methods. All patients with varicella who were admitted to the Department of Infectious Diseases, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, between January 1, 1995, and December 31, 1998, were included in the study.Results. The percentage of hospitalised varicella patients was 0.69% of all notified cases in Ljubljana health region. The hospitalisation rate for children younger or equal to 15 years old was 51/10,000 estimated cases of varicella in Ljubljana health region. Varicella complications were the most frequent cause for admission. In children the most common complications were skin and soft tissue complications (35.5%), followed by CNS (17.4%) complications, lower respiratory tract (14.5%), gastrointestinal (11.6%) and others. Primary pneumonia was the most common complication in the patients older than 15 years. The median hospital stay was 6 days (2–39 days). Sequelae were recorded in four patients while two patients died. Specific mortality was 1:30,000 notified cases of varicella.Conclusions. Varicella is a common benign and self-limited infectious disease. For majority of patients home care is adequate while hospitalisation is rarely indicated. Severe complications can occur which may be also fatal.

Keywords

• varicella-zoster virus
• complications