The Seroepidemiology of Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) in Different Age Groups in Tehran, Iran

Varicella zoster virus (VZV), the causative agent of chicken pox and shingles, can cause severe systemic infections of the CNS and the respiratory tract in immunocompetent individuals as well as in immunocompromized patients. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the prevalence of antibody Varicella zoster virus in different age groups. The enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method was used to assess the presence of anti -VZV antibody. A total of 635 serum samples were collected. Age specific prevalence of IgG antibody to VZV showed a progressive increase with age in both males and females. The overall seroprevalence rate was 83.6%. Prevalence of antibodies was 59.7% in the age group of less than 10 years, 60.4 % in 10-14 years, 87.5 % in 15-19 years, 88 % in 20-24 years, 89.4 % in 25-29 years and 87.9 % in 30-39 years. The data show that children should be considered as a target group for prevention programs against VZV infection.