~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This message is from PedTalk! To reply to the group, use "" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ At 08:37 AM 11/27/97 -0600, RAINBOWPED wrote: >> >> Incidently, does anyone know how many months an infant's protection from >> Varicella by maternal antibodies (acquired through the placenta) normally >> lasts. > >I have read that passive immunization from maternal antibodies (if the >mom had varicella-zoster) lasts in the infant about 5 - 6 months. >Hence, you should not usually see acute varicella-zoster in an infant >less than 5-6 months of age. >Andrew Green, MD My training was that passive immunization could last as long as 6-9 months, but I've also seen (like others have posted) true Varicella in 3-4 month olds whose moms had a good childhood history and didn't get it when their kids did, implying they did have immunity. I guess, like everything else, an age range is only an average. Michael Sachs, M.D. General Pediatrician