OBJECTIVE: To assess the cost of varicella infections in Poland from payers and societal perspectives as a part of evaluation of cost-effectiveness of varicella vaccination. Background: Mass vaccination against varicella is possible as safe, effective, and providing life-long protection vaccine (Varilrix) became available and the possibility that vaccination would shift varicella infections to older age groups seems remote. METHODS: We collected data of medical and non-medical resources used by patients suffering from varicella. Medical costs were taken from local health services price lists and retail prices of drugs were used. All local prices were changes into dollars. Epidemiological data were taken from national health statistics data for 2000: incidence 331.3/100,000, prevalence 12,8016, hospitalisations 1008 and 2 deaths. Main assumptions (based on experts panel): 2 doctors visits, antihistaminics, analgesics, antipyretic, antiviral, and antibiotics, and 4 days loss of productivity - all for one case. RESULTS: Direct cost per case accounted to 49.12 USD and indirect cost per case, to 91.64 USD. Total cost per case was: 140.76 USD. Total annual cost per population was 11,050,867 USD with 5,771,872 USD of direct costs and 5,278,995.7 USD of indirect costs. CONCLUSION: Varicella has considerable burden on Polish health care system. As safe and long-term effective vaccine against varicella is available in Poland, cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analyses will be performed.