Active prospective national surveillance for congenital and neonatal varicella in Australia shows potential prevention opportunities

•The incidence of congenital and neonatal varicella infection in Australia has decreased substantially since the introduction of a universal varicella vaccination program in 2005.•There is a high risk of imported varicella infection among immigrant populations from countries without similar varicella vaccination programs.•Rates of maternal varicella infection and subsequent congenital and neonatal varicella infection could be reduced if newly arrived immigrants were more comprehensively screened for vaccine-preventable infections, including varicella as part of their health check when entering Australia.