Universal varicella vaccination in the Veneto Region, Italy: launch of a programme targeting all children aged 14 months and susceptible adolescents.

Universal varicella vaccination (active offer, free vaccination) of children aged 14 month and susceptible adolescents was introduced in 2006 in the Veneto region vaccination calendar. Varicella vaccine was to be administered with the first dose of Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine. The programme started with the cohort of children of 14° month of age born in 2005, and with the cohort of adolescents of 12 years of age born in 1994 and with negative history of varicella. A 60% adherence rate was targeted for the first year of the programme, considering a programme initiation with 2 separate MMR and varicella vaccines while the tetravalent MMR-V was expected to be available in 2007. Obvious advantages of combined tetravalent vaccination relate to the reduction of vaccination appointments and number of injections, with better acceptance from the families, lower workload for HCU and reduced health care costs. Increasing adherence rates are expected to decrease health care expenditures for varicella not only in targeted children, but also, owing to lower virus circulation, in adults, usually more prone to complications. Overall, quadrivalent vaccination will help reaching appropriate herd immunity immunisation levels against measles, rubella, mumps and varicella.