Susceptibility to varicella-zoster among pregnant women in the province of Lecce, Italy

Such a high number of susceptible women indicates that preventive and informative programs should be introduced, even among those who do not plan to become pregnant. Routine counselling, varicella IgG antibody screening and varicella vaccination should be considered if they have no history of the infection, to reduce the risk of fetal complications and the cost of healthcare associated with the infection.