Risk Factors for Chickenpox

by Cynthia M. Johnson, MA

A risk factor is something that raises the chances of getting a health problem. A person can get chickenpox with or without the risk factors listed below. The chances of getting it are greater in people who have many.

Chickenpox is more common in children who are younger than 10 years old. It is also more common in winter and spring.

People have a greater chance of getting it when they come in direct contact with a person infected with the varicella-zoster virus (VZV).

Chickenpox is not usually serious when it happens during childhood. It may be more severe in:

Children less than 1 year old and over 15 years old
Any person with immune system problems
A mother who is exposed to VZV during pregnancy
A fetus exposed to VZV

References:

Chickenpox. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/chickenpox. Accessed September 8, 2020.

Chickenpox. Family Doctor—American Academy of Family Physicians website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Accessed September 8, 2020.

Chickenpox (varicella). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Accessed September 8, 2020.

Gershon AA, Breuer J, et al. Varicella zoster virus infection. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2015 Jul 2;1:15016.

Last reviewed March 2020 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Shawna Grubb, RN
Last Updated: 3/23/2021

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