Chook Me!

What does it mean to have borderline chicken pox.. Is it still chicken pox? And if so is it still contagious?

I am pregnant and I just found out my brother, who lives in the same house, has borderline chicken pox. I need to know if this is still chicken pox and am I at risk if I've only had one vaccination?

Public Comments

1. I've never heard of borderline chickenpox. I've heard of borderline immunity from them as determined by a blood titer. The chickenpox vaccine is relatively new, so no long term time studies regarding length of immunity are available. The studies I've seen have shown immunity 5 or 6 years after immunization and one study done in Japan showed a 10 year immunity. Also, getting the vaccine is not a 100% guarantee of immunity. 15% of immunized children do get chickenpox, but have mild cases. You should call your doctor and explain the circumstances. Since there are so many variables and possibilities, he/she should be the one to tell you whether or not there is any cause for concern.