Chickenpox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus. It is characterized by fever and an itchy and blistered rash. It is a highly contagious disease. The virus then remains latent or dormant in the body and can later get reactivated to cause shingles (herpes zoster).

Although chickenpox-related complications are relatively rare among healthy children, the disease could be more dangerous among infants and the older age groups. In most cases, chickenpox in childhood is not life threatening. However, it can cause considerable suffering and discomfort to the patient and inconvenience to the parents.

Symptoms
Common symptoms are fever, chills, nausea and vomiting. The most obvious and the most well-known is the blistered and highly itchy rash. Most children have 200-300 lesions, which later form a crust or scab.

Is chickenpox contagious?
Yes, it is most contagious a couple of days before the rash appears and until the scabs have formed on all the lesions. This usually occurs in a week's time from the onset of the rash.

How do you get chickenpox?
The virus commonly spreads from person-to-person by air-borne droplets. This occurs when an infected person coughs or sneezes and releases secretions in the surrounding air. It can also spready by direct contact with chickenpox lesions, since the wet lesions contain infectious fluid. In a few cases, it can also spread from an infected mother to her unborn or newly born child.

Who is most susceptible to this virus?
Chickenpox can occur in both children and adults, males and females. Most people get chickenpox during childhood or adolescence, but adults who have not been infected before are susceptible to infection can develop chickenpox in adulthood if and when they come in contact with a case. Chickenpox is usually more severe in older individuals who missed getting it when they were children.

Complications
Although for most children chickenpox does not produce major health problems, complications can develop in some cases. Secondary bacterial infection affecting the skin lesions is the most common complication that one encounters. Rarely, the virus could prove more aggressive and cause infection in lungs, leading to pneumonia, and may affect the brain, leading to swelling and infection (encephalitis). Other complications have been described, but these usually have a self-limited course. Rarely, residual scarring may be unsightly, leading to cosmetic concerns later in life.

Chickenpox in Adults
Chickenpox is more severe in adolescents and adults than in children. The fever is higher and continues for a longer time. The rash is usually heavier with deeper and more lesions. The likelihood of complications is greater too.

In Pregnancy
If chickenpox is contracted by a pregnant lady during the first 3 months of pregnancy, there is a risk of congenital foetal malformations, or chances of abortion. Infection later in pregnancy, but not too close to delivery, allows maternal antibodies to be passed onto the foetus, thus offering protection. Infection 5 days prior to delivery is dangerous as this can result in transmission of the virus without antibodies to the newborn, leading to a life-threatening infection.

Prevention
Isolating infected individuals by keeping them away from school or work will help reduce transmission of the virus. Vaccination is an effective way of preventing suffering from chickenpox. Vaccination can be offered to individuals more than one year of age, who have not suffered previously from chickenpox.

Dr. Subhash Rao Child Specialist Laksh-Deep Hospital