Chickenpox
Meaning of chickenpox: For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, chickenpox: (a) means an infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus, usually manifesting with a vesicular eruption involving the skin or mucous membranes; and (b) excludes: (i) herpes simplex; (ii) shingles or postherpetic neuralgia; (iii) Mpox; and (iv) smallpox.
Reasonable Hypothesis (RH) — Statement of Principles No. 29 of 2023
At least one of the following factors must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting chickenpox or death from chickenpox with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:
- (1)being exposed to the varicella-zoster virus: (a) between 10 and 21 days before the clinical onset of chickenpox; or (b) between 10 and 28 days before the clinical onset of chickenpox in someone who: (i) is in an immunocompromised state as specified; or (ii) has received varicella-zoster immunoglobulin or normal human immunoglobulin as prophylaxis following varicella-zoster virus exposure;
Note: being exposed to the varicella-zoster virus and immunocompromised state as specified are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
- (2)for vaccine strain chickenpox only, having live attenuated varicella vaccine between 5 and 45 days before the clinical onset of chickenpox;
Note: vaccine strain chickenpox is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
- (3)being prevented from accessing appropriate varicella-zoster vaccination in accordance with contemporary medical standards of the time, between 1 year and 10 years before the clinical onset of chickenpox;
- (4)being in an immunocompromised state as specified at the time of the clinical worsening of chickenpox;
Note: immunocompromised state as specified is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
- (5)being pregnant at the time of the clinical worsening of chickenpox;
- (6)inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for chickenpox;
Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsections 9(4) to 9(6) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, the condition where it was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.
Balance of Probabilities (BoP) — Statement of Principles No. 30 of 2023
6 factors
At least one of the following factors must exist before it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, chickenpox or death from chickenpox is connected with the circumstances of a person's relevant service:
- (1)being exposed to the varicella-zoster virus: (a) between 10 and 21 days before the clinical onset of chickenpox; or (b) between 10 and 28 days before the clinical onset of chickenpox in someone who: (i) is in an immunocompromised state as specified; or (ii) has received varicella-zoster immunoglobulin or normal human immunoglobulin as prophylaxis following varicella- zoster virus exposure;
Note: being exposed to the varicella-zoster virus and immunocompromised state as specified are defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
- (2)for vaccine strain chickenpox only, having live attenuated varicella vaccine between 5 and 45 days before the clinical onset of chickenpox;
Note: vaccine strain chickenpox is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
- (3)being prevented from accessing appropriate varicella-zoster vaccination in accordance with contemporary medical standards of the time, between 1 year and 10 years before the clinical onset of chickenpox;
- (4)being in an immunocompromised state as specified at the time of the clinical worsening of chickenpox;
Note: immunocompromised state as specified is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
- (5)being pregnant at the time of the clinical worsening of chickenpox;
- (6)inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for chickenpox;
Aggravation-only factors: the factors in subsections 9(4) to 9(6) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, the condition where it was suffered or contracted before or during (but did not arise out of) the person’s relevant service.
