Varicella (chickenpox) is a common contagious infection of childhood, with fewer than 2% of the cases occurring in adults. Since the early 1980s the incidence of chickenpox in adults has been increasing and only 7% of them are seronegative for Varicella zoster antibodies. Pneumonia, although rare, is the most common and serious complication of chickenpox infection in adults. The authors present an illustrative case of varicella pneumonia in an immunocompetent adult with smoking habits and make a brief thematic review.