Reporting Varicella (Chickenpox)

On this page:
How to report
What to report
Who is required to report
Submitting clinical materials

How to report varicella disease

Online using the REDCap Vaccine Preventable Disease (VPD) Reporting Form.
This form can be used by health care providers, schools and child cares to report varicella (chickenpox) to the Minnesota Department of Health.

Other ways to report for health care providers

• Fax the Varicella Report Form for Health Care Providers (PDF) to 1-800-295-9769.
  This form can be used by health care providers to report varicella (chickenpox) to the Minnesota Department of Health.
• By phone. Any reportable infectious disease may be reported by phone to MDH at 651-201-5414 or 877-676-5414.

Other ways to report for schools and child cares

• Fax the Varicella (Chickenpox) and Zoster (Shingles) Case Report Form for Minnesota Schools and Child Cares (PDF) to 1-800-295-9769.
  This form can be used by schools and child cares to report cases of chickenpox or shingles by fax.
• By phone. Any reportable infectious disease may be reported by phone to MDH at 651-201-5414 or 877-676-5414.

What to report

Any clinically diagnosed and/or laboratory-confirmed cases of varicella zoster virus (VZV) must be reported to MDH within one working day. This includes:

• All cases of varicella (chickenpox) in persons of any age.
• All cases of zoster (shingles) in persons under 18 years of age.

• All cases of zoster (shingles) in persons of any age with severe disease or complications other than post-herpetic neuralgia, such as:

  • Disseminated cutaneous disease
  • Visceral or central nervous system (CNS) involvement
  • Ramsay Hunt Syndrome
  • Myelitis
  • Skin or soft tissue superinfection 

  Clinical specimens on laboratory-confirmed cases should also be submitted to the MDH Public Health Lab.

  Note: In some situations, MDH may request that suspected cases be reported. This may include individuals that are not yet laboratory-confirmed and/or have not been evaluated by a provider (i.e. individuals with a rash illness associated with a cluster or outbreak).

  • Who is required to report

    • Health care practitioners (health care facilities, medical laboratories, and in certain circumstances veterinarians and veterinary medical laboratories) are required to report disease to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) under Minnesota state law.
      • Unless previously reported, every licensed health care provider who provides care to any patient who has, is suspected of having, or has died from a reportable disease is required to report.
    • Any person in charge of any institution, school, child care facility, or camp is also required to report disease to MDH.

    Submitting clinical materials

    For varicella, submission of clinical materials (isolate, if available) to MDH is required by rule.

    • Clinical Materials 
      Clinical materials must be submitted according to these guidelines.