CARLSBAD - County health officials reminded parents Thursday to have their children vaccinated against chicken pox after eight students at Carlsbad's St. Patrick Elementary School were diagnosed with the virus.

Six of the students had received only one dose of chicken pox vaccine, rather than the two doses recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. County officials said that 99 percent of people became immune after two doses.

None of the students had to be hospitalized. School officials have informed parents about the outbreak.

Chicken pox is a highly contagious illness caused by a virus and can be spread easily by coughing, sneezing or through contact with chicken-pox blisters. Symptoms of chicken pox include fever and, later, blister-like lesions. They can cover the body, but are usually more concentrated on the sick person's face, scalp and trunk. The risk of complications increase after puberty and include dehydration, pneumonia and infection of the blisters.