Also known as varicella, is a highly contagious disease caused by infection with varicella zoster virus.
Causative agent: varicella zoster virus
Incubation period - 14-16 days
Transmission occurs via respiratory droplets or contact with weeping skin lesions
Period of communicability - 1-2 day before to 4-5 days after appearance of rash.
Chicken pox symptoms:
- Early (prodromal) symptoms in adults are nausea, loss of appetite, aching muscles, and headache followed by the characteristic rash or oral sores, malaise, low-grade fever. The rash begins as small red dots on the face, scalp, torso, upper arms and legs; progressing over 10–12 hours to small bumps, blisters and pustules; followed by umbilication and the formation of scabs.
- Blister stage, intense itching. Blisters may also occur on the palms, soles, and genital area.
Chicken pox Rash look like Dewdrop on rose petal appearance, Centripetal distribution, pleomorphic rash.
Chicken pox stages:
- Pre-eruptive stage : Mild/moderate fever, pain in back, shivering and malaise. lasting about 24hours. in adult last for 2-3 days.
- Eruptive stage : in children , rash is often the first sign. it comes on the the first rash starts.
Chicken pox treatment / Management
- Oral acyclovir : Indicated in healthy adults with primary varicella infection
- IV acyclovir may be indicated in cases of severe disease or immunocompromised patients
- Varicella immune globulin Indicated in pregnant women with primary infection
-Aspirin must not be given because it cause Reyes syndrome
- Strain of live attenuated chickenpox vaccine is OKA strain.
- Congenital varicella is threatening if transmitted in first trimester.
- most common late complication : Shingles (caused by reactivation of virus decades after the initial episodes of chicken pox.
