From the Guidelines
If you don't have immunity to varicella, you should get the whole vaccine series again, which consists of 2 doses of single-antigen varicella vaccine, administered at least 4 weeks apart. This recommendation is based on the guidelines for adult immunization, as outlined in the study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 2012 1. According to this study, all adults without evidence of immunity to varicella should receive 2 doses of single-antigen varicella vaccine or a second dose if they have received only 1 dose.
Key Points to Consider
- Evidence of immunity to varicella in adults includes documentation of 2 doses of varicella vaccine at least 4 weeks apart, or being U.S.-born before 1980 1.
- Special consideration for vaccination should be given to those who have close contact with persons at high risk for severe disease, or are at high risk for exposure or transmission 1.
- Pregnant women should be assessed for evidence of varicella immunity, and those who do not have evidence of immunity should receive the first dose of varicella vaccine upon completion or termination of pregnancy and before discharge from the health-care facility, with the second dose administered 4–8 weeks after the first dose 1.
Importance of Vaccination
Getting fully vaccinated against varicella is important because it can cause serious complications, especially in adults and individuals with weakened immune systems. By receiving the complete vaccine series, adults can develop adequate immunity and reduce their risk of contracting varicella and its associated complications. If you're unsure about your immunity status, a simple blood test can check for varicella antibodies to determine if you need vaccination 1.
From the Research
Immunity and Vaccine Series
- If an individual does not have immunity to a specific disease, it is generally recommended to get the whole vaccine series again, but the provided studies do not directly address this question.
- The studies focus on various aspects of vaccine administration, safety, and immunogenicity, but do not provide a clear answer to the question of re-vaccination for individuals without immunity.
Vaccine Administration and Safety
- A study on the coadministration of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine with other vaccines found that it is safe and immunogenic 2.
- Another study on a heptavalent combination vaccine found that it was immunogenic and had a clinically acceptable safety profile when administered to infants and toddlers 3.
- A case report on erythema nodosum after receiving a Tdap vaccine highlights the potential for rare adverse effects, but notes that vaccine-associated erythema nodosum is uncommon 4.
Immune Response and Cross-Protection
- A study on acquired immunity against infectious disease suggests that past infection, vaccination, and chronic infection can induce cross-protection against numerous pathogens, and that a non-negligible part of acquired immunity can be nonspecific to the pathogens encountered 5.
- This study implies that the immune system is more complex and dynamic than previously thought, and that individual immune history and microbiota composition can play a significant role in determining susceptibility to infectious disease.