A recent paper by Bate et al ('PEPtalk: post-exposure prophylaxis against varicella in children with cancer') reports national data regarding practice in postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) of chickenpox in immunocompromised children. We provide additional depth of detail regarding practice in a large tertiary paediatric haematology unit in England by presenting a service evaluation of postexposure chickenpox prophylaxis in children with leukaemia. We also highlight the probability of underestimated cases of PEP and clinical chickenpox in the paper by Bate et al. While chickenpox in healthy children is normally mild and self-limiting, in immunocompromised children it can cause severe morbidity and even mortality.
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