The Epidemic Process of Chickenpox Among Infants in Primorsky Krai

The research aimed at studying the participation of infants in the epidemic process of chickenpox in Primorsky Krai. The article also assesses susceptibility of children to varicella and substantiates the leading mechanism of transmission and patterns of the epidemic process. Materials and methods: statistical data on the incidence of chickenpox for 2009-2018 in Primorsky Krai. The method of mapping and allocating risk areas. A correlation analysis of time series by areas in children under one year of age with other age groups. The study of the structure of children under one year of age with chickenpox in the cities of Ussuriysk and Vladivostok. Results: In Primorsky Krai, a high incidence of chickenpox in infants was recorded. The maximum rate was in Nakhodka (24.8 per 1,000 children). The distribution of average indicators in children under one year of age in Primorsky Krai partially corresponded to the aggregate data. The proportion of infants among patients with chickenpox ranged from 1.5 % in Kavalerovsky District to 3.7 % in Olginsky District. An analysis of the structure of ill infants in Vladivostok and Ussuriysk showed that the disease develops in any month of life. In the pediatric department of the "Children's Home" in the city of Nakhodka, an epidemic outbreak affected all 29 children, including six under the age of 6 months. Conclusions: All people are susceptible to chickenpox after birth. The main mechanism of transmission of the pathogen is contact. Its activity determines morbidity levels, including in children under one year of age. The age at risk of infection is determined by the conditions of contact paths and human behavior.