From the Guidelines
No, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine is not the same as the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine. These are two distinct vaccines that protect against different diseases. The varicella vaccine specifically protects against the varicella-zoster virus, which causes chickenpox. It is typically given as two doses, with the first dose administered at 12-15 months of age and the second dose at 4-6 years. In contrast, the MMR vaccine is a combination vaccine that protects against three different viral diseases: measles, mumps, and rubella. The MMR vaccine is also given in two doses, usually at the same age intervals as the varicella vaccine. Sometimes, these vaccines are administered together during the same visit, and there is even a combination vaccine called MMRV that includes protection against all four diseases (measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella) 1.
Key Differences
- Varicella vaccine protects against varicella-zoster virus, while MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps, and rubella viruses.
- Varicella vaccine is typically given as two doses, with the first dose at 12-15 months and the second dose at 4-6 years.
- MMR vaccine is also given in two doses, usually at the same age intervals as the varicella vaccine.
- MMRV vaccine is a combination vaccine that includes protection against all four diseases.
Recommendations
- For the first dose of measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccines at age 12–47 months, either MMR vaccine and varicella vaccine or MMRV vaccine may be used 1.
- For the second dose of measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccines at any age (15 months–12 years) and for the first dose at age ≥48 months, use of MMRV vaccine generally is preferred over separate injections of its equivalent component vaccines (i.e., MMR vaccine and varicella vaccine) 1.
- A personal or family history of seizures of any etiology is a precaution for MMRV vaccination, and children with such a history generally should be vaccinated with MMR vaccine and varicella vaccine 1.
Administration
- The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that either MMR and varicella vaccines separately or the MMRV be used for the first dose of measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccines administered at 12 through 47 months of age 1.
- For the first dose of measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccines administered at ages 48 months and older, and for dose 2 at any age (15 months to 12 years), use of MMRV generally is preferred over separate injections of MMR and varicella vaccines 1.
From the Research
Varicella and MMR Vaccines
- Varicella, also known as chickenpox, is not the same as the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine, but there is a combined vaccine that protects against all four diseases, known as MMRV 2, 3, 4.
- The MMRV vaccine is a combination of the MMR vaccine and the varicella zoster virus vaccine, and it has been shown to be immunogenic, safe, and effective in preventing varicella and other diseases 2, 3, 4.
- Studies have compared the efficacy and safety of the MMRV vaccine with the separate administration of MMR and varicella vaccines, and have found that the MMRV vaccine is generally well-tolerated and effective in preventing disease 2, 3, 4, 5.
Key Findings
- A study published in 2008 found that the MMRV vaccine was immunogenic and safe in infants aged 9-24 months, and that it provided similar immunity to the separate administration of MMR and varicella vaccines 2.
- A study published in 2018 found that two doses of the MMRV vaccine provided 95% efficacy against varicella, and that the vaccine was well-tolerated and safe 3.
- A study published in 2021 found that two doses of the MMRV vaccine provided better protection against varicella than one dose of the varicella vaccine, and that the vaccine induced antibody responses that persisted for 10 years 5.