Mutant Strain of Chicken Pox in Portland, Oregon!

There appears to be a new strain of Chicken Pox affecting children who have received the varicella-zoster vaccine. What's particularly interesting is its ONLY the children who have been vaccinated who are getting it, according to the information available to date.

I had a patient call me because her 10 year old son was complaining of a slight fever, lethargy, and had a mild semi-vesicular rash along his abdomen and back. It certainly did not fit the classical symptomology of Chicken Pox, and knowing that he had been vaccinated put it at the bottom of my possibility list. But lo and behold! Six of his fellow students were also out with exact same symptoms!

I'll try to get pictures of the dermatological manifestation FYI ASAP. Additionally, there have been outbreaks in Alabama reported. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) has not published anything about this to date. I'll keep you posted.