Chickenpox is the primary infection caused by the varicella zoster virus. It is an acute, highly infectious disease most commonly seen in children under 10 years old. Chickenpox is usually a mild self limiting illness and most healthy children recover with no complications. The illness with chicken pox usually lasts about 7 to 10 days.

   The rashes are mostly visible on the chest, and most spots appears on the chest and hand,although some children and adults can have spots all over their body except the palms if the hand and sole of the feet. The spots starts as red itchy bumps, which then becomes blisters. The top comes off of the blisters and watery fluids escapes. Then the crust and scab over before finally healing. Chickenpox is generally mild especially in children. But severe cases, the blisters can spread to your nose, mouth, eyes, and even genital.

    Who can get it

   There are many factors which can increase or decrease your risk of contacting the disease. Children under age 2 are most at risk for chicken pox. In fact, 90 percents of all cases occurs in young children. But older kids and adults can get too.
  You are more at risk for chicken pox if you;
  • Pregnant 
  • An infant under 1 year old
  • Haven't had the virus before 
  • Haven't been vaccinated for it
  • Live with children 
  • Work in a school or childcare facility 
    Chickenpox is found both in endemic and epidemic forms in India. Chickenpox is relatively mild in healthy children, but life threatening in immunocompromised populations, such as children, pregnant women, and new born are more susceptible. It is highly infectious and spread through droplet, infection cases of chickenpox are found through out the year. However their number is more during the transition winter to summer  especially after the rainy season. It is more common in a crowded environment.

        Mode of transmission of chickenpox

  • The infection is spread when the person sneeze or cough, or when someone touches the fluids inthe blisters, it can also be spread by touching something that has touched the fluids from the blisters (example dressing that cover the sore 
  • Chickenpox canbe caught from the fluid inthe blisters of someone with shengles, though this is rare.
  • The person with chickenpox is contagious from the beginning of the illness up to two days before the spots appears until about 5 days after the first spot appears. As long as their are new or moist crust on spots, the person will not be contagious, even if there is still crust on the skin.
  • Chickenpox are very contagious (easy to catch). Over 90 percents of close contact will get chicken pox, if they have not already had it or not been immunised.


             Routes of transmission 

  • Airborne respiratory droplet 
  • Direct contact with the vesicle fluids 
  • I direct contact through contact with clothes and linen freshly soiled by vesicle fluids 
  • Chickenpox can also be spread from people with shingles. 

          Signs and symptoms of chickenpox 

The most symptoms of chickenpox are, Rashes, fever, Coughing, headache, and lost of appetite. 
  • Chickenpox maybe accompanied by fever, and mild headache 
  • Chickenpox may initially begin with coldlike symptoms, as the virus is shed from the naso_pharynx for upto 5 days before the Rashes appear.
  • Infectivity may be prolonged in people with altered immunity 
  • The severity of infection varies and it is possible to be infected but shows no symptoms
  • An, intensely, itchy, vesicular (fluid filled blisters like Rashes appears.

           Complications of chickenpox

  The most common complications is bacteria infection of the skin or other parts of the body, including the bones, lungs, joints or blood 
  • The virus can also lead to pneumonia or infection of the brain, these complications are rare but serious complications are more common in infants, adults, and people with weakened immune system.

         Treatments and medication

  • There is no specific treatment for chickenpox. It is a viral infection that will therefore not respond to antibiotics. Treatment should be based on reducing symptoms such as fever and itching.
  • People at higher risk of developing serious complications from chicken pox maybe given antiviral drugs such as acyclovir and immunoglobulin a specialised preparation for antibodies taken from the plasma of blood donors, which may prevent severe illness developing.
  • These people includes pregnant women who are not immunised, neonates and immunosuppressed people receiving chemotherapy or radiography, receives an organ transplant or receiving immunosuppressant therapy.

    Home treatment for chickenpox

  For most people chickenpox is a mild disease. If you have chickenpox you should rest but do not stay in bed. The most helpful thing to do are those things that helps your child or yourself feel more comfortable. Thus includes;
  • Drink lots of liquid like, water, juice, and soup, especially if there is fever. If your baby is breastfeeding feed your baby more often.
  • Use acetaminophen (Tylenol) to bring down fever. Do not give any medicines that contains acetyl salicylic acid ( ASA or Aspirin) to a child or teenager. A child or teenager may get a serious liver disease called Reyes syndrome if they take medicines with acetyl salicylic acids.
  • Keep fingernails short and clean, and cover hands at night with gloves to prevent scratching.
  • Keep the skin cool to relieve itching. Dress lightly and reduce hot bathes and shower. Ask a pharmacist or community health nurse about lotions that can help  take away the itching.
  • You can also apply some local lotion like Dr Alladdin 7keys mixture. 
  • Prevent the spread of infection by using a household cleaner to wash any articles that are soiled with fluids from chicken pox blisters, and by separating the person who is sick from the rest of the family members who have not had chicken pox. 

    Prevention of the spread of chicken pox

  • Vaccination is the best way to prevent the spread of chickenpox.
  • In addition, avoid close contacts with others who are sick, wash hands always and stay at home if sick. 
  • All residents with a problem confirm diagnosis of chickenpox should be placed in a single room or separated from other non immune members until all vesicles are dry and have crust over. Thus is adviced because of the risk of varicella in susceptible immuno compromised individual.
  • Stay at home if you feel sick to avoid infecting others.