Varicella (Chickenpox)

1996 Case Definition

Clinical case definition

An illness with acute onset of diffuse (generalized) papulovesicular rash without other apparent cause

Laboratory criteria for diagnosis

• Isolation of varicella virus from a clinical specimen, or
• Significant rise in serum varicella immunoglobulin G antibody level by any standard serologic assay

Case classification

Probable: a case that meets the clinical case definition, is not laboratory confirmed, and is not epidemiologically linked to another probable or confirmed case

Confirmed: a case that is laboratory confirmed or that meets the clinical case definition and is epidemiologically linked to a confirmed or probable case

Comment

Two probable cases that are epidemiologically linked would be considered confirmed, even in the absence of laboratory confirmation.

See also:

• 1999 Case Definition
• 1998 Varicella (deaths only)
• 1990 Case Definition

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