Chickenpox, which is also called varicella, is a very contagious virus that kids get most of the time. Chickenpox has a rash that looks like itchy blisters and has probably been around for hundreds of years. But who discovered this common childhood illness? The first records of chickenpox date back to the 16th century, but it wasn’t until much later that it was distinguished from smallpox and its virus was found. Let’s look at the most important steps that were taken to solve the chickenpox mystery.
Early Documentation of Chickenpox
While chickenpox itself was not identified as a separate disease until the late 19th century, descriptions of a chickenpox-like rash were recorded as early as the 1500s In 1546, Italian physician Giovanni Filippo Ingrassia (1510-1580) offered the first clear description of the disease, referring to it as a “papular eruption”.
In 1767, more than 200 years later, English doctor William Heberden (1710–1801) showed that chickenpox was not the same as smallpox, even though he thought they were both types of the same disease.
These early discoveries made it possible to tell the difference between chickenpox and smallpox, which is much worse.
Differentiating Chickenpox from Smallpox
For hundreds of years, chickenpox was mistaken for smallpox, which is a much more dangerous disease with a death rate of about 30%. Without a clear differentiation, effective treatment was impossible.
In 1875, Hungarian dermatologist Ferenc von Bókay (1822-1884) built upon Heberden’s earlier observations and definitively showed that herpes zoster (shingles) was different from varicella (chickenpox). In 1888, his compatriot Károly Schuch demonstrated that chickenpox and shingles were caused by the same virus.
These findings proved chickenpox and smallpox were distinct conditions, enabling physicians to better understand and treat chickenpox.
Discovery of the Causative Virus
Now that chickenpox was established as its own illness, the race was on to identify the underlying virus. Significant progress was made in the early 20th century by several researchers:
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In 1909, American virologist Howard Taylor Ricketts (1871-1910) first suggested an invisible microbe caused chickenpox.
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In 1911, Polish pediatrician Alfred Leszczynski (1868-1939) induced chickenpox in children by injecting fluid from chickenpox blisters.
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In 1920, French physician and bacteriologist Adrien Loir (1862-1937) transmitted chickenpox from infected patients to monkeys, hinting at a virus.
But it wasn’t until the 1950s that the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) was finally isolated:
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In 1952, Thomas Huckle Weller (1915-2008) and John Franklin Enders (1897-1985) cultivated the virus in human tissues.
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In 1954, Weller and colleague Nobel laureate Gertrude Belle Elion (1918-1999) successfully isolated VZV.
This discovery of the virus enabled the later development of the chickenpox vaccine.
Development of the Chickenpox Vaccine
Isolation of the VZV virus paved the way for preventing chickenpox through vaccination. Key innovations included:
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In 1958, Polish virologist József Gedeon Matolcsi László (1908-1993) published the concept of using live, attenuated VZV as a vaccine.
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In the 1970s, Japanese researchers Michiaki Takahashi (1928-2013) and his mentor Dr. Shigeyoshi Uchida attenuated the Oka strain of VZV after passing it through embryonic guinea pig cell cultures.
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In 1974, Takahashi’s team began clinical trials in healthy children using the live attenuated Oka strain vaccine.
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In 1984, the varicella vaccine was approved for widespread use in healthy Japanese children.
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In 1995, the chickenpox vaccine was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in children over 12 months and adults.
Thanks to this pioneering research, especially Michiaki Takahashi’s breakthrough live virus vaccine, chickenpox cases declined dramatically in immunized populations.
- Early observations in the 1500s first described the illness
- Differentiation from smallpox began in the 1700s
- The causative virus was finally isolated in the 1950s
- Successful vaccines were developed in the 1970s and approved for widespread use in the 1990s
While chickenpox itself has likely existed for millennia, piecing together its viral origin and preventive vaccine took hundreds of years and findings by researchers from many nations. Thanks to their persistance, what was once a ubiquitous childhood illness is now largely preventable through a simple vaccine. The story of chickenpox demonstrates that significant medical advances are often the result of cumulative knowledge gained slowly but surely over decades or even centuries.
Deterrence and Patient Education
Education can reduce chickenpox morbidity. Parents of infected children should clip their fingernails to prevent skin damage and bacterial infections. Parents should also be advised not to give young children aspirin to treat fever and avoid Reye syndrome. Patients should use cold compresses and moisturizers to avoid irritation and dryness.
All clinicians should encourage parents to vaccinate their children to prevent infectious morbidity. Rash and fever are characteristic signs observed during physical examination in pediatric patients with varicella. A thorough evaluation may indicate potential pulmonary or neurological problems or a severe bacterial superinfection. The United States Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices suggests that all adults older than 60 should get vaccinated to avoid herpes zoster. One in 5 adults, especially those who are immunocompromised, get shingles if they had chickenpox as children. Shingles is most commonly found in adults older than 60 diagnosed with chickenpox before age 1. Patients with shingles may spread chickenpox to those who are not immune through blister contact. [13].
Pearls and Other Issues
Varicella in immunocompetent children may be managed symptomatically with antipyretics (eg, acetaminophen), antihistamines, calamine lotion, and tepid baths. Prompt initiation of antiviral therapy can reduce or eradicate severe complications associated with VZV infections. These antiviral medicines are advised for varicella in healthy adolescents and adults, as well as in children with chronic dermatological or pulmonary conditions and those undergoing continuous salicylate treatment, inhaled corticosteroids, or intermittent oral corticosteroids. Nonetheless, consistent antiviral therapy is not advised for generally healthy children with varicella, given the self-limiting nature of the disease and the minimal advantages of treatment.
Chickenpox is more severe in pregnant women than in adults, posing 3 dangers to the unborn child: congenital varicella syndrome, possibly severe varicella, and herpes zoster. For pregnant women who have not been immunized against VZV, prophylaxis includes giving them anti-VZV immunoglobulins within 10 days of exposure (0 5 to 1 ml/kg, IV). If a mother gets chickenpox within 7 days of giving birth or within 10 days of giving birth, her baby could also get severe chickenpox. Because of this, anti-VZV immunoglobulins must be given to the baby right away, no later than 10 days after birth. For babies born before 28 weeks of amenorrhea or weighing, the time frame should be extended to 21 days before delivery. [26].
Authorized by the United States Food and Drug Administration in 1995, the live attenuated VZV vaccine (Oka strain) demonstrates remarkable efficacy, with seroprotection rates of approximately 85% after a single dose and at least 99% following 2 doses in healthy pediatric populations. Two vaccine doses, typically administered at 12 to 15 months and 4 to 6 years, are advised to enhance protection and mitigate the decline of vaccine-induced immunity. The administration of this live viral vaccine is contraindicated during pregnancy and in individuals with immunosuppression resulting from hematologic malignancies, human immunodeficiency virus infection (if cluster of differentiation 4+ T cell levels are <15% or <200 cells/mcL), other T cell immunodeficiencies, or systemic immunosuppressive therapies, including tumor necrosis factor inhibitors or prednisone (≥20 mg daily for ≥2 weeks or ≥2 mg/kg daily for individuals weighing <10 kg).[27][28]
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FAQ
Who discovered the chicken pox?
In 1767, Heberden first differentiated chickenpox from smallpox.Apr 27, 2025
When did they discover chicken pox?
Though recognized for centuries, with references dating back to the Middle Ages, the virus responsible for chickenpox was first isolated in the 1950s. From this discovery, the varicella-zoster virus was later confirmed to cause both chickenpox and shingles.
Why is chicken pox related to God?
So, where does the name Mata come in to play with chickenpox? The virus is associated with Shitala Mata, a form of Durga Mata. Shitala Mata is a Goddess who carries holy water and a broom. The story is that Shitala Mata can cure people of disease with her holy water, though she punishes them with her silver broom.
Who invented the cure for chicken pox?
The chickenpox vaccine was developed in Japan in the 1970s by Dr. Michiaki Takahashi.Nov 7, 2023