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In the United States, chickenpox is the leading cause of vaccine-preventable death. These researchers reviewed deaths from chickenpox in England and Wales from 1995 to 1997.
Of 119 death certificates that mentioned "chickenpox" or "varicella," 94 (79 percent) were judged to have correctly attributed death to infection with varicella virus after review and confirmation with the treating physicians. Chickenpox was the cause of death in 75 cases (80 percent) and herpes zoster (shingles) in the remaining 19 (20 percent). Only 37 percent of patients had had known exposure within 3 weeks of presentation. Of confirmed chickenpox deaths, 81 percent were in adults. Mortality was most likely in the age group 65 or older. Among the patients who died, t…