Will I still be susceptible to chickenpox as an adult if I had mumps during childhood?
Disease description:
I had mumps when I was a child. A friend told me that I can't be infected with chickenpox again, so I would like to know whether I can still contract chickenpox as an adult if I had mumps as a child?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Guo Huijie
People who had mumps during childhood can still contract chickenpox later in life. Mumps and chickenpox are two infectious diseases caused by different viruses: mumps virus and varicella-zoster virus, respectively. There is no cross-immunity between these two viruses; having had mumps does not confer immunity against chickenpox. Therefore, even if someone had mumps as a child, they may still become infected with chickenpox as an adult upon exposure to the chickenpox virus if they lack sufficient immunity.
An effective way to prevent chickenpox is vaccination with the varicella vaccine, which stimulates the body to produce specific antibodies against the varicella-zoster virus, thereby preventing the occurrence of chickenpox. Additionally, maintaining good personal hygiene practices and avoiding contact with individuals infected with chickenpox and their contaminated items are also important preventive measures.
