Dorothy FarrarChickenpox
Chickenpox , also known as varicella in medicine, is a highly contagious infectious disease ( droplet infection ) caused by the varicella-zoster virus and often occurs in children.
What is chickenpox?
Chickenpox, which is also known in technical terms as varicella and colloquially as pointed leaves, waterpox or sheep leaves, mainly affects children between the ages of three and nine.
Chickenpox is transmitted via droplet infection (eg via the air we breathe) and is therefore highly contagious. Since chickenpox is one of the most common childhood diseases, preventive vaccination is recommended. If a teenager or adult gets chickenpox, the disease is usually more problematic than it is in a child.
Children between the ages of three and ten are usually affected. Diagnosing chickenpox is easy for the treating doctor. Those affected have the itchy skin rash (exanthema) that is characteristic of this disease, which manifests itself in red spots, bumps and blisters on the trunk and face. The rash slowly spreads to the whole body.
The varicella-zoster virus can also be detected directly in the blister juice. Furthermore, the doctor can recognize parts of the pathogen or formed antibodies in a blood test. In many cases, the first signs of chickenpox are fever, headaches and body aches. If the larynx is also affected, those affected are hoarse.
causes
Chickenpox is highly contagious and is caused by the so-called varicella-zoster virus.Infection is possible through droplet infection – so you can become infected very quickly if you have contact with, speak to or cough on a person who has chickenpox.
In the air, on textiles or objects, however, the viruses can only last for a few minutes and then die off. The incubation period for chickenpox is a little over two weeks.
Two days before the characteristic rash of chickenpox appears, other people can contract it from the infected person.
The risk of infection is only averted when the blisters are 100% encrusted and no more secretion comes out of them. From the time chickenpox breaks out, the illness lasts about a week to ten days. However, if there are complications, such as pneumonia, it can take longer. Incidentally, those affected who have had chickenpox once remain immune to it for life.
symptoms
Typical symptoms of chickenpox:
Typical symptoms of chickenpox are very itchy skin rashes that can appear anywhere on the body, as well as fever and body aches. The rash that occurs as a result of infection with chickenpox takes the form of small red spots that develop into blisters within a few hours and then crust over in a day or two. The blisters are filled with fluid, become inflamed when scratched open and can leave scars. The blisters, which vary greatly in number, can form again within three to six days.
diagnosis and course
Chickenpox can usually be diagnosed by taking a medical history. They result in a characteristic skin rash that can lead to diagnosis just by looking at the patient. Chickenpox is often accompanied by fever, only in a few cases are no classic symptoms visible.
If this is the case, chickenpox can also be detected by examining the contents of the blisters. This is examined for the viruses typical of chickenpox.
Alternatively, a laboratory test can be carried out. For this purpose, the varicella antibodies are detected in the blood. However, such an extensive examination is rarely necessary to diagnose chickenpox.
At the beginning of the disease, chickenpox is usually accompanied by a slight fever and headache.
After about a day or two, the first pimples, which are typically red in color, appear. These usually appear first on the torso.
Within a few hours, the pimples will fill with liquid and begin to itch. After a few days, the blisters formed crust over. The entire body can be affected by the typical rash within a very short time. The disease progresses in phases, so that new blisters keep coming.
After about ten days, the crusts fall off, leaving light spots behind. However, these also disappear on their own after a few weeks. In rare cases, chickenpox can cause pneumonia .
The causative agent, the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), is highly contagious and causes chickenpox with the first infection. In the event of a renewed infection or as a special form of recurrence (endogenous recurrence), the virus triggers shingles. This leads to the typical skin changes in those affected, which makes it easier for the doctor to diagnose chickenpox.
complications
Chickenpox is a common disease in children, which in many cases runs its course without complications. Nevertheless, there are cases that can take an undesirably severe course. This affects, among other things, patients with a weakened immune system or poor general condition. Seniors and small children, pregnant women and people with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and other chronic diseases as well as cancer must therefore be checked particularly closely by the doctor.
One complication that can occur with chickenpox is bacterial superinfection. This means that another infection can join the virus-induced chickenpox disease. This often happens when the blisters on the skin are scratched open by the itching and the infectious fluid they contain is released. This can result in unsightly scarring on the skin.
Other diseases can also develop on the basis of chickenpox. These include meningitis and pneumonia . ASA should not be given to small children against chickenpox-related symptoms . Otherwise, a viral disease can lead to Reye’s syndrome, which is accompanied by vomiting and seizures. This complication of chickenpox can be avoided by taking the right medication in advance. Cramps and confusion are also possible due to lack of fluids. Therefore, even with chickenpox, it is important to ensure a sufficient supply of fluids, which also keeps the circulation stable.
treatment and therapy
Since chickenpox tends to occur in young children and school children and they tend to scratch open the blisters caused by chickenpox, it is always advisable to consult a doctor to prevent further infection.
The doctor will then diagnose the disease based on the classic symptoms and will usually prescribe an ointment, powder or drops with the purpose of relieving the itching and promoting the drying of the blisters.
Medicines containing paracetamol or cold vinegar wraps for the calves help against the fever that often occurs with chickenpox . In addition, it is important, especially during the acute phase of chickenpox, to pay particular attention to hygiene, to wear soft, loose-fitting clothing and to stay in cool rooms.
If the chickenpox does not subside after ten days or if there are complications, an antiviral can also be prescribed. In severe cases, the doctor can also prescribe an antibiotic for inflamed skin areas .
prevention
To prevent chickenpox, you should be vaccinated against the disease from an early age. There is now also a combined vaccination against the four childhood diseases mumps , measles , chickenpox and rubella . If you fail to do this in the first few years of life, you should still get vaccinated later, since chickenpox can become more difficult with age.Especially people in whom chickenpox can have serious effects, such as people suffering from leukemia or neurodermatitis , should also be immunized. This also applies to employees in hospital operations and other people who have frequent contact with sick people. Basically, people who have a weak immune system are more susceptible to chickenpox.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.