Chicken pox

What is chicken pox?


Chicken pox is highly contagious infection caused by the Varicella-zoster Virus(VZV). iT IS TRANSMITTED THROUGH DIRECT CONTACT WITH CHICKEN POX OR HERPES ZOSTER LESIONS or by inhalation of infected and airborne droplets.


What are the symptoms?


In chidren symptoms may include body weakness, headache, and fever. Incubation period varies to about 2 to 3 weeks. A person is infectious two days before the rashes appear to the time the lesions have crusted.


Does chickenpox affects adults the same way it affects children?


Chickenpox is more severe when it occurs in late adolescence or adulthood. The  prodrome is frequently longer, the fever more severe and prolonged, more numerous and severe lesions form, the time to crusting is longervand complications develop more often.


What are possible complications?


The most common complications in children is secondary bacterial  infection of the skin. Neurologic conditions such as encephalitis, meningitis, and cerebellar ataxia may also occur. Another result of chickenpox are the ugly scars on the face and the body which can remain permanent.


How often does chickenpox occur?


A person who has had chickenpox is not likely to have it again, although the virus may remain dormant in the nerves and may later be reactivated as herpes zoster.