Can You Get Chickenpox Twice?

If your child has clusters of small, itchy blisters, it could be chickenpox. Chickenpox is a highly contagious infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). VZV can quickly spread from contact with an infected person’s blisters, the fluid inside the blisters, or respiratory droplets from a cough or sneeze.

Since the U.S. began giving the chickenpox vaccine in 1995, chickenpox cases have dropped by 97%. As a result, chickenpox isn’t nearly as common as it once was. But cases still happen. And it’s even possible to get chickenpox twice.

In this article, we’ll look at how that might happen. 

Is it possible to get chickenpox twice?

Yes, it’s possible. But fortunately, it’s very rare.

When people get sick with chickenpox, the immune system produces antibodies against VZV. This immunity usually lasts a lifetime. So most people don’t get chickenpox again, even if they come in contact with chickenpox in the future.

Immune response

But sometimes, a chickenpox illness might not trigger enough of an immune response. In these cases, people don’t produce enough antibodies to VZV. That means if these people come in contact with the virus in the future, they can get sick with chickenpox again. 

People are more likely to make less antibodies for the following reasons.

They had chickenpox very young

For example, if they got sick with chickenpox before they were 12 months old. Young infants have a less mature immune system, so they don’t make as many antibodies against the virus.

They have a weakened immune system

People with weakened immune systems may not have been able to make enough antibodies against chickenpox when they were sick. That means they’re at risk of getting chickenpox again in the future. 

It’s also possible to get chickenpox again if you currently have a weakened immune system and come in contact with the virus. Some people with a weakened immune system lose protective antibodies they made in the past. This puts them at risk for developing chickenpox a second time.

Misdiagnosis

It’s also important to keep in mind that, in the past, people were diagnosed with chickenpox based on clinical findings. Tests that look for VZV are pretty new. 

Older blood tests looked for evidence of an immune response against the virus. These results weren’t always reliable or widely available. So, most of the time, people got a chickenpox diagnosis based on their symptoms and their physical exam. 

But other childhood viruses can cause symptoms similar to chickenpox. And not everyone develops a classic chickenpox rash. So, sometimes people were diagnosed with chickenpox when they really had another virus. 

Later on, these people may have gotten chickenpox “again.” But it was really their first episode of chickenpox because they’d been misdiagnosed the first time. Older research studies showed that this happened fairly often. 

Can chickenpox reactivate?

VZV, the virus that causes chickenpox, can reactivate. 

After a chickenpox infection, the virus hides throughout the body’s nerve cells. The immune system will often keep it in check forever. But sometimes the virus gets reactivated, causing a painful, burning rash in one area of the body. This reactivated infection is called shingles. 

Chickenpox and shingles are different illnesses and cause different symptoms. But they’re both caused by VZV.

Chickenpox vs. shingles photos

Here are pictures of chickenpox and shingles to help you tell the difference between the two. 

Chickenpox blisters spread over the whole body.

Close-up of chickenpox blisters.

Shingles rash affecting one part of the face.

Grouped blisters in the shingles rash.

What should you do if you think you have chickenpox?

Call your primary care provider if you think you have chickenpox. You may be a candidate for medication to help you recover from chickenpox faster. Treatment can help you avoid complications from the illness. You’re at higher risk for severe chickenpox illness if you: 

• Have a weakened immune system

• Are pregnant

• Never had chickenpox illness or received a chickenpox vaccine

Infants and teenagers are also at risk for severe illness. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help if you or a loved one are at risk for severe illness. Treatment works best when started within 24 hours after the rash appears, so it’s important to seek care as soon as possible. 

Serious symptoms

You should also contact your primary care provider if you have chickenpox and develop symptoms like:

• High fever

• Stiff neck

• Confusion

• Trouble breathing

• Severe stomach pain with vomiting 

• Signs of a skin infection around the chickenpox rash

How can you lower the chances of getting chickenpox?

The best way to lower the chances of getting chickenpox is to get vaccinated against chickenpox. Experts estimate that vaccination has prevented over 91 million chickenpox infections. 

Experts recommend that all children receive 2 doses of the chickenpox vaccine. Children usually receive their first dose when they are 12 to 15 months old and their second dose when they are 4 to 6 years old. 

Experts recommend that anyone over the age of 13 get vaccinated against chickenpox if they weren’t vaccinated as children or have never had chickenpox.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Brian Clista, MD

Dr. Clista is a board-certified pediatrician who works in private practice in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He previously served as a National Health Service Corporation Scholar in the inner city of Pittsburgh for 11 years.

Edited by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

Reviewed by:

Christine Giordano, MD

Christine Giordano, MD, is board-certified in general internal medicine. She received her medical degree from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and completed residency at Thomas Jefferson University.

Our editorial standards

Meet our experts

Images used with permission from VisualDx (www.visualDx.com).