Chicken Pox (Varicella)

Chickenpox is an infection which causes an itchy rash and it is infectious, meaning that it is spread from 1 person into another. It is caused by varicella-zoster virus (VZV), which enters the body through the mouth and nose after contact with an infected individual.

Someone with chickenpox can spread the disease to some one else from 1 day before the rash appears until all chicken pox blisters have crusted over. Once someone has had a chicken pox disease, they develops a lifelong resistance, meaning person typically doesn`t have chicken pox another time.

The exception is. Young children may well not build up enough security against the disease and normally have milder cases. Therefore, these children may develop the disorder later in life.

Because chicken pox is infectious, 90 per cent of your patient`s family also will develop the disease should they are not immune and live in the exact same house. Before, chicken pox cases usually happened in classes (epidemics), usually during the late winter and spring. Nevertheless, the number of all cases of chicken pox has dropped significantly due to the chicken pox (varicella) vaccinethat has been licensed in 1995 and is recommended for all children.

Chickenpox is a uncomfortable infection which, on it`s own, goes away generally. But, chicken pox has been associated with serious complications. Approximately one of every 100 children infected with chicken pox will develop a severe lung infection (pneumonia), an infection of the brain (encephalitis), or a problem with the liverdisease. Skin ailments also can happen.

Roughly 100,000 people were hospitalized and 100 people inside the United States expired each year of chicken pox, most of them children. Adolescents and adults who develop chicken pox can also be at risk of developing serious complications.

After a individual has chicken pox, the virus typically resides quietly in the body for the rest of a individual`s life`s nervous system. It could re activate (come alive ) at any time. This is much more likely to happen when the human body`s immune defenses are weakened by illness or stress (such as cancer or HIV disease ) or from medications that weaken the immune system. The most common cause behind the virus is currently becoming older.

Reactivation of the virus causes a disease known as herpes zoster, commonly known a shingles. It`s a painful blistering skin rash which occurs on the face, back or chest, at the exact same area where a couple or one of the sensory nerves of the body traveling.

Symptoms

Indicators of chicken pox begin between 10 and 21 days after someone has been exposed. The disease comprises a feeling and fever. That is followed by itchy, red bumps that become fluid-filled and can easily be known as chicken pox. The rash usually begins on trunk, face and the top and goes outward into the arms and legs.

These skin blisters are round, about 5 millimeters to 10 millimeters across (about the size of a pencil eraser), with a reddish base. Some times, they`re described as a"dew drop on a rose petal." They come at many stages over the upcoming day or two and eventually crust over. These blisters can appear anywhere there`s skin in the mouth, throat or vagina. Some patients have just 50 blisters or fewer. Others possess to count.

Diagnosis

Call your doctor, In the event that someone in your household or you develops a skin rash oblivious of chickenpox. He or she could suspect chickenpox over the telephone, especially if that individual have not experienced the chicken pox vaccine or even the chicken pox disorder before.

Your doctor will probably wish to examine you. Be sure around where you should enter any office to avoid exposing different patients to ask the staff of the doctor.

Your physician might need to know if you`re exposed to someone with chicken pox, even though this isn`t essential to create the identification. She or he can make the diagnosis based on the typical look of the skin rash and also your symptoms.

Special blood tests, such as the FAMA evaluation (fluorescent antibody to membrane antigen) and the ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), are also available, however they do not require to be completed in most patients. Sometimes your physician may scratch against a chicken pox blister to examine it under the microscope.

Expected Duration

Chickenpox blisters form over a period of time of 3 to 5 days and then crust over throughout another 7 to 10 days.

Prevention

Chicken-pox was thought of as an youth disorder, meaning everybody would get it. However, as the varicella vaccine has been licensed, this disorder can be avoided easily.

The normal recommendation is to offer the initial dose of varicella vaccine between age 12 and 15 months and when the child is 4 years old. The vaccine is preferred when someone who never experienced the disease or vaccine before has been exposed to someone with chicken pox. This may help prevent that person from getting the disease.

Many of us are at high risk of serious complications for example those that have issues with premature infants pregnant women, and their immune system. If an individual at high risk is vulnerable to someone with chicken pox, an injection of varicella zoster immune globulin (VZIG) also may help prevent chicken pox. VZIG includes antibodies against chicken pox which can be obtained from the bloodstream of folks that have high levels of defense against the chicken pox virus. But, VZIG has been given unless an individual at risk of serious complications has been exposed to someone.

Procedure

Doctors may use an antiviral medication such acyclovir (Zovirax) or valacyclovir (Valtrex) to help minimize the symptoms of chicken pox in adults. It is most effective if it is started within the first twenty four hours following the start of the rash. Any parent with out a history of chicken pox whose child develops chicken pox should call their own doctor straight away to check whether treatment is recommended.

People at risk of creating a serious illness should consider treatment with valacyclovir or acyclovir. Including:

• Kids age 12 or older who have not been vaccinated

• Kids of any age with chronic lung Issues or that take corticosteroids or aspirin every day

• Anyone with an impaired immune system

Otherwise healthy children who get chicken pox do not usually need antifungal drugs.

Most of the procedure for chicken pox is targeted on preventing broken blisters from scratching from becoming infected and relieving the itching of chicken pox blisters. Oatmeal baths and calamine lotion may help reduce the itchiness. Trim fingernails to reduce the risk of infection and scarring.

If itchiness can`t be controlled with bathrooms and lotion, oral (taken by mouth) antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl and different brands ), can give a little relief. Work with a non-aspirin medication such as acetaminophen (Tylenol and other brands ) to lower your child`s fever. Never give aspirin because it may cause Reye`s syndrome, a potentially fatal illness. Chicken pox blisters can become infected with bacteria and require antibiotic therapy.

When To Call a Specialist

If any child or adult in your household develops symptoms of chickenpox, especially if, call your Physician:

• You`re not sure of the identification.

• Somebody in the household can`t fight infection well (for example takes steroids regularly or has cancer and is on chemotherapy).

• Somebody in the household, especially the adult, have not had chicken pox or the vaccine.

• Somebody at the household is pregnant.

Call your doctor for recommendations in the event that your son or daughter has been exposed to chicken pox and neither of you`ve had the disease or the vaccine before.

If any of the following symptoms grows, in individuals with Chicken Pox, call your Physician:

• Fever of 103 degrees Fahrenheit or above

• Itching that is not alleviated by medicine and bathrooms

• Blisters who are painful, inflamed, swollen, or Full of pus

• B-listers near the eyes

• Signs of brain infection (encephalitis), for example acute headache, sleepiness and vomiting

• Signs of lung infection (pneumonia), for example hepatitis and difficulty breathing

The individual with chicken pox should avoid exposing those who have not had the disorder, especially those that can`t fight infection well to reduce the spread of chicken pox.

In the event you or your kids (aged 1 year and older) have never had chickenpox, then ask your doctor about the chicken pox vaccine. Before you become pregnant about cutting your risk of chicken pox and other psychiatric ailments if you are a woman who never had chicken pox and you are considering becoming pregnant, consult with your doctor.

Prognosis

In healthy children, chicken pox is normally a mild infection, with your skin returning to normal in just two to four weeks. Some times, there remain a couple of mild scars where a number of the chicken pox rash have been. Scratching the blisters can result in more noticeable scars. Keep in mind in a number of cases, more illnesses that require hospitalization are caused by chicken pox and at times cause impairment and passing.

External resources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)1600 Clifton RoadAtlanta, GA 30333 Phone: 404-639-3534 Tollfree: 1-800-311-3435 http://www.cdc.gov/

Further advice

Always ask with your physician to make sure the information displayed on these pages relates to some circumstances.