Chickenpox (varicella)

At a glance

Vaccine preventable – check who’s eligible
Vaccine included on the National Immunisation Program – check who’s eligible
Nationally notifiable disease

About chickenpox

Chickenpox is a highly contagious infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus.

Most people with chickenpox have mild symptoms and recover quickly. But it can be severe, especially for people in some groups.

After a person has chickenpox, the virus stays in the nerve cells of the body but is not active. It can reactivate later in life as shingles.

Vaccination is the best way to prevent chickenpox. Chickenpox vaccination also helps prevent shingles later in life.

Why it matters to public health

Before chickenpox vaccination was added to the National Immunisation Program in 2005, chickenpox was so common in Australia that almost everyone had it as a child.

Chickenpox caused thousands of hospitalisations and some deaths every year.

Since 2005, hospitalisations due to chickenpox have reduced in Australia, and deaths due to chickenpox are extremely rare.

But between 2,000 and 3,000 people are still diagnosed with chickenpox each year.

Because of this, we monitor and report on chickenpox infections in Australia.

Symptoms

If you’re looking for advice about your own health or treatment options, see healthdirect or speak with a qualified healthcare professional. Our role is to provide public health advice – information and guidance that helps prevent disease, protect communities and improve wellbeing at a population level.

Common symptoms include:

itchy red rash that turns into blisters, which then burst and crust over
fever
headache
generally feeling unwell.

Complications can include:

bacterial infection of blisters
scarring.

Very rarely, chickenpox can cause serious complications such as:

inflammation of the lungs (pneumonitis)
inflammation of the brain (encephalitis).

If pregnant people get chickenpox, it can cause serious complications for the baby, including:

skin scarring
eye problems
small limbs
brain and nerve problems.

Read more about the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of chickenpox.

healthdirect’s symptom checker can help you decide whether to see a health professional.

Check your symptoms

Onset of symptoms

Symptoms usually start about 2 weeks after getting infected. This can range from 10 to 21 days.

How it spreads

The virus that causes chickenpox can spread through:

respiratory droplets – when you cough, sneeze, speak or sing, these droplets spread through the air and can be breathed in by other people
contact with fluid in the blisters.

People can also get chickenpox from someone with shingles though direct contact with the fluid in the blisters.

People who have had chickenpox are not likely to get chickenpox again. But they may develop shingles later in life. Shingles occurs when the varicella-zoster virus – the same virus that causes chickenpox – reactivates.

Infectious period

People are infectious from 1 or 2 days before the rash appears until all the blisters have crusted over. This usually takes about 5 days.

Prevention

Vaccination

Get vaccinated

Chickenpox vaccination is recommended for:

all children aged 12 months to 14 years
people aged 14 years or older who have not been vaccinated or had chickenpox before.

People who can become pregnant and are not immune to chickenpox should be vaccinated before pregnancy.

Eligible people can get chickenpox vaccines for free under the National Immunisation Program or state or territory programs. If you are not eligible for a free vaccine, you can buy one from your healthcare professional or pharmacy.

Chickenpox vaccination should not be given to:

pregnant people
people who are immunocompromised.

Other prevention steps

People who are not immune to chickenpox should avoid contact with anyone who has chickenpox, if they can.

They should also avoid contact with shingles blisters.

This is especially important for people at greater risk of severe disease.

People who are pregnant or immunocompromised and newborn babies should see a healthcare professional immediately if they have been around someone with chickenpox.

A healthcare professional might recommend:

vaccination
antibodies – called immunoglobulin.

Protecting others

People with chickenpox should:

stay away from other people until all the blisters have dried, if they can
cover their nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing
dispose of tissues straight away
wash their hands regularly
not share utensils, plates, cups or food.

Priority groups and settings

Some people are at greater risk of getting chickenpox or getting very sick from it.

If you are at greater risk, it is especially important to:

get vaccinated for chickenpox, if you are not immune
take steps to protect yourself.

People at greater risk of severe disease

Chickenpox poses a greater risk of severe illness for people who are not immune to chickenpox, especially:

pregnant people and their unborn babies
babies and children aged under 5 years
people who are immunocompromised
adults.

People at greater risk of exposure

People who live or work with someone who has chickenpox are most at risk of getting infected.

Chickenpox can spread quickly in households and crowded places. People are at greater risk of being exposed to chickenpox in settings such as:

early childhood education and care centres
schools
residential care facilities
healthcare facilities
detention and correctional facilities.

Diagnosis and treatment

If you think you or someone you care for might have chickenpox, call ahead before visiting your healthcare professional. They might take extra steps to protect others.

Chickenpox can often be diagnosed by a healthcare professional based on symptoms and clinical examination.

In some cases, fluid from the blisters is collected for laboratory testing to confirm it’s chickenpox.

You can use healthdirect's directory to find a health service near you.

Find a health service

In most people, chickenpox gets better by itself.

Treatment usually focuses on symptom relief and sometimes antiviral treatment.

Read more about how to manage or treat chickenpox.

Surveillance and reporting

Chickenpox is a nationally notifiable disease – these are diseases that present a risk to public health.

Some state and territory health authorities report new laboratory confirmed and probable cases to us daily through the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System.

This is part of our surveillance activities, which help us monitor case numbers around the country, understand disease patterns and identify outbreaks.

We analyse the data and report on case numbers and other data through our data visualisation tool, where you can filter and search the latest information.

Outbreaks

State and territory health departments might provide guidance and support for manage outbreaks in certain settings.

This can include providing education about ways to prevent severe disease in people who have been exposed.

Read more about how the Australian Government defines and plans for outbreaks.

Support

For information about chickenpox in your state or territory, see:

If you need mental health support, see a list of organisations, websites and services that offer support, counselling and information.