Objective To clarify the epidemiological characteristics of an outbreak of varicella among health care workers(HCWs) caused by nursing herpes zoster patient, provide evidence for the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infection(HAI) of varicella and herpes zoster. Methods HCWs who were clinically diagnosed with varicella in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary hospital in Yantai of Shandong Province in December 2018 were conducted epidemiological investigation, epidemiological characteristics and causes of disease were analyzed. Results On December 17-19, 2018, 4 HCWs in ICU of this hospital were reported suffering from varicella, including 3 nurses and 1 nursing attendant who had taken care of bed-2 patient with herpes zoster, but without contact with other varicella and/or febrile eruption cases during the longest incubation period, an outbreak of HAI of HCWs caused by herpes zoster was judged, through the implementation of active isolation, vaccination, training and other measures timely, no subsequent cases occurred. Conclusion As the source of varicella infection, herpes zoster patients can not be ignored, strict implementation of air isolation, contact isolation, standard prevention and other measures can effectively prevent and control the occurrence of varicella zoster virus HAI.