Chickenpox-Causes , Symptoms

What Is Chickenpox ?

Chickenpox is usually a childhood infection. It spread easily, and is often a very mild ailment. Most of the time it is little more than a nuisance-in fact, in young children and babies it is less dangerous than the common cold. And, in most cases, a complete recovery with consequent lifelong immunity can be expected. Very occasionally in new-born babies or in a patient who has to take drugs that reduce the effectiveness of the body’s immune (infection-suppressing) system, for example, after undergoing a transplant operation.

 Causes

Chickenpox is caused by infection with a virus called herpes zoster. The same virus also causes shingles. Children usually catch chickenpox from an infected child, but it is also possible to catch it form an adult with shingles from exposure to chickenpox. Ti is not absolutely clear how the chickenpox virus passes from person to person. It probably spreads via tiny droplets in the air breathed out by an infected person. When a child breathes in an infected droplet, the virus starts to multiply and another case of chickenpox begins with all its typical symptoms.

Symptoms

In the most cases of chickenpox in children, the illness is extremely mild. The incubation period (the time between infection by the virus and the first appearance of any symptoms of the illness) varies between seven and twenty three days. Chickenpox can be identified by the appearance of characteristic rash. Often in babies this rash takes the form of tiny blisters on the skin, and adults, however, tend to have more severe symptoms for two or three days before the rash appears, with temperature, shivering, aches and pains and headaches. The rash begins as minute red spots which become raised and then fill with clear fluid, like small blisters. Chickenpox spots come out in crops, which means that new ones appear over the next few days. These will eventually dry up and scabs will form over them. There are usually a few spot in the mouth, and chickenpox ulcers on the tonsils may look very like tonsillitis. Once all the spots have scabbed over and no new ones appear, the sufferer is no longer infectious. The rash generally begins on the chest and the abdomen, and may then spread to the face and limbs. There may be only two or three spots, or the rash may be profuse and cover most of the body. Chickenpox is recognized by the rash and general condition of the patient. It may occasionally be confused with other skin diseases such as impetigo (bacterial infection of the skin), scabies (infestation by a small burrowing mite). or pemphigusa blistering skin disease). If it is really necessary to make an exact diagnosis, then scrapings from a skin blister can be examined under an electron microscope to identify the virus.

Chickenpox-Complication ,Treatment And Recovery

Complication

The only common complication of chickenpox is bacterial infection of the spots. This usually happens when the itchiness of the rash leads to scratching, and the nails of the patient are dirty. If many spots in the scalp become infected in this way, the hair gets caught up in a tangle of crusts. To clear this requires considerable soaking and gentle bathing. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotic treatment to combat infection. Spots often develop o the edges of the eyelid and can cause a lot of discomfort because of the itching, stickiness and swelling. Another site which provokes severe discomfort if spots are present is the vulva and outer vagina in girls. As long as any so-called ‘secondary’ bacterial infection is treated, these heal very well after a couple of days. In a very few cases, chickenpox may cause pneumonia, encephalitis (infection of the brain) or bleeding disorders. Fortunately, these complications are very rare. Chickenpox during pregnancy is uncommon, as most women have had chickenpox in childhood. If a pregnant women have had chickenpox the foetus is usually affected but it is possible for the virus to pass through the placenta and damage the unborn child. If a pregnant women suspects that she has chickenpox, then should see her doctor immediately.

Treatment

Those  patient who are particularly at risk from chickenpox – children with leukemia and people taking steroids and other drugs after transplant surgery, for example –can be given a substance called ‘immune globulin’, which is extracted from chickenpox from the blood of people recovering from chickenpox. There are antibodies in the immune globulin which may prevent the person developing chickenpox if the substance is given immediately after ‘at risk’ person has been exposed to chickenpox. Because the illness is usually so very minor in healthy individuals it is not generally available to the public. Should any of these highly susceptible patients actually catch chickenpox, a drug (acyclovir) has recently been developed which makes the illness much less severe.

Recovery

Although chickenpox may look spectacular, it is really one of the mildest childhood diseases. However, it is thought that the chickenpox virus may lie ‘dormant’ in the body for many years, and may emerge later in life as shingles - a painful and distressing condition which usually strikes when the person is feeling particularly under the weather or run down.