Chicken pox is one of the typical and most contagious childhood diseases characterized red itchy skin rashes and small liquid filled blisters on the skin that break opens and crust over.
It is caused by varicella-zoster virus. It is an infectious disease. It spreads by direct contact or through contaminated air. The virus is present in the droplets expelled out through coughing and sneezing of chicken pox affected patient. It spreads fast in crowded places.
Chickenpox has an incubation period of 10 to 21 days and is transmittable from the stage of 40 hours before the appearance of rash till all the spots crust over. People who are not vaccinated against chicken pox or those they never had chicken pox are at risk of getting the infection.
However, immunity due to natural infection or vaccination is lifelong and generally protects a person from the disease throughout his life.
Symptoms of chicken pox include small blisters on the skin filled with liquid which break open and crust over. Sometimes it appears like a rash on the body which looks like insect bite and is itchy. The rash appears in three stages: appearance of pink or red bumps, bumps become fluid filled blisters and vesicles crust over the skin. This "dew drop on a rose petal" lesion is very characteristic of chickenpox.
There may be fever, headache, dry cough, abdominal pain, loss of appetite and general feeling of irritation, unease and discomfort. Generally blisters appear on back, scalp, chest and face. It can also spread to entire body including throat, vagina and eyes. Disease is milder in healthy children. New blisters keep on emerging for several days.
There is no treatment required for chicken pox in healthy children. Sometimes anti-histamines may be given to relieve itching. Sometimes medications are given to shorten the course of disease and avoid complications. Medications given are anti-viral medications or intravenous immunoglobulins. The medications are given within 24 hours after the rash appears. Chicken pox vaccine can also be given after the exposure to the virus. This may prevent the disease or controls severity of the disease.
Medications may be given for symptomatic relief like for fever. For the treatment of secondary skin infections or pneumonia antibiotics are given. For the treatment of encephalitis anti-viral drugs are given and hospitalization may be required.
Aspirin in chicken pox can complicate the disease and can cause Reye’s syndrome (a fatal disease). Rest is important to combat the infection.
Rash may spread to both the eyes. Rash may become bright red, tender, and warm indicating secondary infection by bacteria. There may be rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, tremors, dizziness, loss of muscle coordination, vomiting, worsening cough, disorientation, stiffness of neck and fever above 103 F (39.4 C).
The disease can be severe and can be complicated in infants and newborns whose mothers are never vaccinated or never had the disease. The disease can be complicated in adults, teenagers, immuno-compromised people, pregnant women, and people having inflammation of skin or on steroids.
The complications may be secondary skin infections caused by bacteria, Cerebellar ataxia, inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or pneumonia. Encephalitis and pneumonia both can be very severe.
Sometimes the virus remains in body and after several years or in the state of lowered immunity it can cause a disease called as shingles. This disease may have its own complications.
Chicken pox is more risky in pregnancy. If it is in the early state of pregnancy then the child born may have low birth weight or birth defects. If the disease occurs in the last week of pregnancy then the child may get severe life threatening infection.
If signs of chicken pox are seen then it is better to consult the doctor. Doctor may prescribe medications to avoid complications and to control severity. It is better to take an appointment instead of waiting in crowd to avoid infection to others.
Vaccination is an effective way of preventing chicken pox in all ages. Vaccine should not be given to pregnant women, immuno compromised people and people having allergy to neomycin and gelatin. If a person had chicken pox then vaccine is not required. The immunity due to disease is life long. Vaccine is safe and effective and side effects are rare and mild
