Prophylaxis

Abstract

The epidemiological nature of chickenpox is such that there are few practical measures that can be taken for its control. Gordon (1962) points out that individual notification of cases is not useful and that notification of an unusual case of epidemic occurrence, lest it be due to smallpox, would seem to serve all practical needs. Isolation of patients does little to limit the number of cases because transmission of infection is so frequent before the rash is apparent. Further, restriction of susceptible persons exposed to chickenpox, for a period equal to the longest incubation period of 21 days, is outmoded. However, there is a clear case for isolating persons with severe blood dyscrasias or those on immunosuppressive drugs. Attempts to prevent spread of infection by the use of ultraviolet irradiation (Mckhann et al., 1938; Greene et al., 1941; Wells et al., 1942; Mcmath and Hussain, 1960) and triethylene glycol vapour (Bahlke et al., 1949) are of no practical value.