Many people encounter a disease such as chickenpox in childhood. However, there is chickenpox in adults, symptoms and treatment, incubation period which have their own characteristics. It is important to know how pathology manifests itself in adulthood in order to take the right measures to treat it.

Chickenpox in adults: symptoms, photos

Chickenpox is an infectious pathology and is caused by one of the varieties of the herpes virus. More often, the disease affects children, but there are also risk groups among adults: parents of preschool children without immunity, army recruits and some other categories.

Chickenpox symptoms in adults are characterized by some features, namely:

• adult patients suffer pathology more severely;
• signs of intoxication of the body are strongly manifested;
• the temperature may rise to 40 degrees or higher;
• may appear only 2-3 days from the onset of the disease;
• characterized by high prevalence, and its elements form voluminous pustules;
• complications occur in about a third of patients;
• Chickenpox is most severe in patients over 50 years of age, as well as in people with a weakened immune system.

You need to know how chickenpox begins in adults, the symptoms, and what photos there are. The first signs of the disease appear in deterioration of health and weakness, but rashes do not appear immediately, so chickenpox in adult patients is difficult to detect in the early stages.

Manifestations of the disease do not differ between men and women. In the photo you can see the characteristic rash that appears on the body two or three days after the onset of chickenpox.

Chickenpox: incubation period, contagiousness in adults

Chickenpox is caused by the third type of herpes virus, which is also called Varicella Zoster. The infectious agent cannot be transmitted through things, and animals also cannot act as carriers. Viral particles die quite quickly outside the human body.

The herpes virus type 3 is volatile, which is why it is able to infect a large number of people at the same time. There is also a high human susceptibility to infection - upon contact with a patient who has been diagnosed with chickenpox, almost all people who have not previously been ill become ill.

The main reservoir of infection, as well as the source of infection, is a person with chickenpox. There is a low risk of infection from a patient who has been diagnosed. The main routes of infection are airborne and transplacental.

The incubation period can last from 10 to 21 days, most often it is 14-17 days. During this time, the number of viral particles increases. The process of virus reproduction occurs on the mucous lining of the nasopharynx, then infectious microorganisms spread through the lymphatic system.

Resistance to infection develops after illness

In most cases, lifelong protection against the disease is provided, but if the immune system is weak, repeated cases of infection are likely, although rare.

A chickenpox vaccination for adults has been developed and is used in a number of regions. Vaccination is necessary for those categories of the population who may develop a severe course of chickenpox if infected.

Nonspecific prevention of chickenpox involves timely isolation of the patient who is the source of infection. Therefore it is important to know how many days is chickenpox contagious?.

The contagious period lasts from 11 to 21 days.

The sick person becomes contagious even before the first rash appears, and ceases to be contagious until the rash finally goes away. If chickenpox is detected, how many days you need to stay at home is a question, the answer to which is determined by the body’s resistance to infection. It is recommended to stay at home for at least two weeks after the first elements of the rash appear.

Chickenpox in adults: photo of the rash

It is necessary to consider in more detail the mechanism of development of chickenpox in the human body. Conventionally, pathogenesis can be divided into the following stages:

1. Reproduction of viruses on the mucous lining of the airways.
2. A rapid increase in the number of viruses leads to the penetration of infection into the lymphatic system.
3. The functioning of the lymphatic system is inhibited, resulting in a decrease in the activity of T-lymphocytes responsible for antiviral immunity.
4. Viral particles enter the bloodstream - this ends the incubation period, and the stage of active clinical manifestations of the disease begins.
5. Body temperature rises, weakness appears, and other symptoms of intoxication are possible.
6. The virus enters the nuclei of the spinal nerves, destroying nerve cells. Afterwards, viral particles remain in the nerve structures for life. If the function of the immune system is weakened, the virus is activated and spreads along the nerve, causing shingles to develop.
7. Sedimentation of the virus in skin cells. A papular rash gradually forms; some papules can transform into pustules. As the disease progresses, the rashes dry out and go away.
8. From the very beginning of the disease, the immune system recognizes virus antigens and produces specific antibodies that bind toxins and stimulate phagocytosis. Antichickenpox immunoglobulins remain in the blood of an ill person for life, which is necessary to prevent re-infection.

Rashes in an adult are more intense than. They can be located anywhere, it is possible , And .

But more elements of the rash can be found on the body.

The answer to the question is does chickenpox itch or not?, is clearly positive

Which are presented in the article, provokes intense itching.

Chickenpox in adults is much more severe than in children. In its clinical development the following stages can be distinguished:

1. Incubation.
2. Prodromal (viral particles enter the blood).
3. Rash stage.
4. Stage of crust formation.

It is worth noting that when viruses die, pyrogens are released - substances that can provoke an increase in body temperature. Especially a lot of them are formed during the period of mass rashes. During the entire duration of the disease, there may be 2 or 3 sharp rises in temperature, coinciding with the appearance of a widespread rash.

Photos of chickenpox in adult patients can reflect what chickenpox looks like: the maculopapular rash with this disease looks very characteristic. It's important to notice the differences in the before and photo. after illness to understand how the rash goes away:

Features of treatment and indications for hospitalization

Treatment of chickenpox in adults is also possible at home. You need to follow all the doctor’s recommendations and fulfill all his prescriptions. It is important when symptoms develop on the first day, how to treat - clarify the answer to the question with a specialist. At home, how long the active phase of the disease lasts depends on the correctness of therapeutic measures and on the state of the body’s immune system.

There are a number of indications for inpatient treatment, namely:

• progression of complications;
• severe form of the disease;
• impossibility of isolating the sick person.

Drug treatment of chickenpox

Chickenpox therapy involves prescribing the following groups of medications:

1. Antiviral medications. Acyclovir, Valaciclovir, Famciclovir. The duration of use and dosage are determined by the doctor.
2. Antihistamines. Necessary to eliminate symptoms of itching and other manifestations of hypersensitivity. Assign Suprastin, Cetirizine, Loratadine and other drugs.
3. Antipyretic drugs. Ibuprofen, Panadol.
4. Antibiotic drugs. Necessary for correction of complications. Oxacillin, Cefazolin.
5. Solutions for intravenous infusion. Necessary for reducing the concentration of toxins in the blood, removing them, and improving circulation. 5% glucose solution, Reopoliglucin.
6. Specific antibodies against Varicella Zoster.

All medications are prescribed by a doctor; self-medication can lead to the development of serious complications.

It is important to follow these rules:

1. Maintaining bed rest.
2. Do not allow the body to overheat, as this may worsen the rash.
3. Daily change of linen, both bed and underwear.
4. Sufficient fluid intake.
5. Compliance with hygiene requirements: frequent hand washing, cutting nails.
6. Cold soda compresses: you need to dilute a teaspoon of soda in a glass of water, moisten the cloth, and apply to the skin for 10-15 minutes.
7. Compresses or baths with decoctions of calendula, chamomile or sage.
8. Rinsing the mouth with a solution of soda or herbal decoctions.
9. Treatment of the external genitalia with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, as well as herbal decoctions.

It is worth noting that classic processing method papules carries brilliant green or fucorcin not so much therapeutic as marking character: It is important to note the rashes so as not to confuse them with newly formed ones. This allows you to monitor the development of the disease and record periods of “sleeping”, which is necessary to determine the effectiveness of treatment and the risk of complications.

Simple recommendations will help cure chickenpox. In order for recovery to be complete, you need to take measures to strengthen the immune system. Immunomodulating drugs, vitamin and mineral complexes, as well as proper nutrition will help with this.

Chickenpox in adults: treatment with folk remedies

Before prescribing treatment, it is necessary to correctly carry out the diagnostic stage. A doctor can confirm a diagnosis of chickenpox based on clinical symptoms and the results of a number of laboratory tests. The specialist notes the following signs of the disease:

• rashes that appear together with a deterioration in health and an increase in temperature;
• periodic increase in the elements of the rash, accompanied by a rise in body temperature;
• false polymorphism of rashes - in one area of ​​the skin there are spots, papules, and pustules;
• the rash can be localized on all areas of the skin of the body, except for the feet and palms;
• elements of a rash on the mucous lining of the oral cavity and genitals are possible.

The doctor must check whether the patient has had contact with a person with chickenpox. The following are used as confirmatory laboratory diagnostic methods:

1. General blood and urine analysis.
2. Viroscopy.
3. Serological methods - determination of the titer of specific antibodies.
4. Polymerase chain reaction.

Laboratory methods are extremely important when differential diagnosis with other infectious pathologies is necessary.

More information about traditional methods of treatment

Traditional medicine offers a range of recipes for correcting the symptoms of chickenpox. However, when using them you cannot refuse drug treatment- this can lead to worsening of the condition and the development of complications.

Among the most effective folk remedies are the following:

1. Mixture olive oil And essential oil bergamot. This composition can be used to lubricate rashes: it relieves inflammation and soothes itching.
2. Brew 60 grams celandine herbs in 1 liter hot water, let it brew. Add the decoction to the water when taking a bath.
3. Brew 20 grams calendula flowers 500 ml of water, let it brew. Wipe the affected areas of the skin with the decoction.
4. Brew 20 grams sage 2 glasses of hot water. Use to rinse the mouth.
5. Boil barley(ratio with water 1:5). Use the decoction to wipe the affected skin.

Chickenpox during pregnancy

Contagiousness for pregnant women with regards to chickenpox is no different from contagiousness for other categories of adult patients. Symptoms in general do not have any peculiarities and include the following signs of pathology:

• deterioration in general health;
• decreased appetite;
• headache;
• increase in temperature;
• the appearance of rashes on the body.

The rash can be localized throughout the body. They look like bubbles filled with liquid. As the disease progresses, the blisters burst, leaving behind crusts. The temperature of pregnant women with chickenpox does not always rise.

Not in all cases, chickenpox during pregnancy provokes serious consequences. The greatest danger is infection in the 1st trimester and 3rd trimester; infection in the 2nd trimester has fewer pathological consequences.

Chickenpox during pregnancy in the early stages can lead to damage to the cerebral cortex, and underdevelopment of the limbs is also likely.

Chicken pox during pregnancy on later in some cases it causes a delay in the child's development. The development of convulsive syndrome is likely.

In rare cases, a woman can become infected even if she has already been sick. You need to strictly monitor your well-being, avoid contact with people who have chickenpox, and then the expectant mother and her baby will not be in any danger.

As for the treatment of chickenpox in women during pregnancy, you should completely trust the doctor’s prescriptions. Self-medication can be harmful not only for the patient herself, but also for the child.

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Chickenpox (chickenpox) is caused by the Varicella zoster virus, mainly occurs in childhood and is relatively easily tolerated by a child. In adults, this infectious disease is severe and is characterized by frequent development of complications.

How is chickenpox transmitted?

The source of infection is a person with chickenpox. The sick person is the source of infection two days before the onset of symptoms and within five days from the onset of last element rash. In some cases, the source of infection is a patient with herpes zoster, since this disease is caused by the same virus.

Method of transmission: airborne droplets (sneezing, coughing, talking). The entry point for the virus is the respiratory tract. The microorganism settles on the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx and oral cavity, and then spreads throughout the body through the bloodstream. The disease got its name due to the fact that the virus is volatile, easily spreads with air flow and is extremely highly contagious.

The following factors contribute to the faster spread of the disease:

• high crowding of people indoors;
• lack of preventive ventilation and regular wet cleaning;
• failure to comply with personal hygiene rules (washing hands with soap after visiting public places).

The incubation period is up to 3 weeks from the moment of contact.
A person who has suffered from the disease develops lasting, lifelong immunity. Re-infection is possible in people with immunodeficiency conditions.

Chickenpox symptoms in adults

Chickenpox develops in adults if a person did not have it in childhood or if there are serious concomitant diseases that reduce the body’s immune defense. In adults, the course of the disease becomes more severe, which manifests itself in the following:

• development of severe intoxication of the body;
• prolonged low-grade fever;
• frequent development of complications;
• involvement of lymph nodes in the process with the development of lymphadenopathy.

The first signs of chickenpox usually appear 14 days after exposure to the virus. It is important to know how this disease begins, since the symptoms at the onset of the disease are similar to those of a respiratory infection. Chicken pox manifests itself acutely with the appearance of symptoms such as:

• headache, muscle pain, bone aches;
• weakness, malaise;
• increase in body temperature.

However, with chickenpox, simultaneously with the symptoms of intoxication or after two to three days, characteristic rashes form on the skin and mucous membranes. The signs of a chickenpox rash are as follows:

1. Characterized by polymorphism - simultaneously present on the skin various elements rashes at all stages of development (blisters, blisters with a red rim, pustules, crusts).
2. wave-like appearance of rashes.
3. The period of formation of new elements lasts several days (on average about four).
4. The main localization is the face, torso, scalp, maximum amount foci are detected in the interscapular region, axillary fossae, and in the area of ​​the elbow and knee fossae.
5. A rash may appear on the mucous membranes, where they open and form ulcerations;
6. the rashes are profuse and accompanied by severe itching.

The photo shows how the polymorphism of the chickenpox rash manifests itself.

A fresh rash looks like “dew on rose petals” - it consists of thin-walled bubbles surrounded by a red halo. Within 8 - 12 hours, the blisters dry out and become covered with a crust, which disappears in 7 - 21 days, leaving no scars.

Complications

With the development of chickenpox in adults, complications such as development are frequent:

• chickenpox pneumonia;
• chickenpox encephalitis;
• secondary infection;
• arthritis;
• conjunctivitis;
• disseminated intravascular coagulation syndrome;
• hepatitis A.

During pregnancy, a woman's body is more susceptible to infection. The consequences of infection with the virus during this period lead not only to a severe course of the disease in the woman herself, but also to transmission of the virus to the fetus, the development of fetal chickenpox syndrome, and premature birth.

Chickenpox treatment

Considering the severity of the disease in adults and the high percentage of complications, you should know how to treat chickenpox. General principles therapy includes following general rules:

1. Maintaining bed rest.
2. Drink plenty of multivitamins.

Symptomatic therapy involves the use of the following groups of drugs:

1. Antipyretics (paracetamol, ibuprofen in various forms).
2. Antipruritic drugs (antihistamines in the form of gels and tablets).
3. Carrying out detoxification using sorbents (activated carbon, enterosgel).
4. When a secondary infection occurs, antibacterial agents are prescribed.
5. Treatment of mucous membranes with disinfectant solutions.
6. Elements of the rash are treated with a solution of fucorcin or brilliant green to dry them and prevent infection. This treatment also helps relieve itching and control the appearance of new rashes.

The most important aspect treatment is to carry out pathogenetic and etiotropic therapy. For these purposes the following is used:

• antiviral agents (aciclovir according to the tablet regimen and topical application);
• the use of immunomodulators - agents that stimulate the production of endogenous interferons (proteins that have an antiviral effect).

Chickenpox usually does not require hospitalization and is treated on an outpatient basis under the supervision of a physician. When treating at home, it is advisable to consider the following points:

1. The number of water treatments should be limited; it is not recommended to rub the rash elements with a washcloth or towel.
2. A diet must be followed - in the diet it is better to give preference to vegetables, fruits, dairy products, food must be balanced and satisfy the need for microelements and vitamins, irritating dishes and sweets are excluded.
3. To prevent the introduction of bacterial flora when scratching elements of the rash, it is necessary to cut your nails short and keep your hands clean.

Disease prevention

To prevent the spread of infection, the sick person should be isolated for the entire period of illness. Emergency prevention in case of contact with a patient with chickenpox is carried out with the varicella-zoster vaccine (Varilrix, Okavax) once during the first three days from the moment of contact.

The same vaccines are used for routine vaccination. The chickenpox vaccination is not mandatory and is not included in the national vaccination schedule. You can do it on your own initiative. This is especially true for patients at risk, as they suffer from a severe form of the disease.

Vaccination is indicated for patients at risk:

• not previously ill and not vaccinated;
• suffering from acute leukemia;
• receiving treatment with immunosuppressants, including corticosteroids;
• those awaiting transplant surgery;
• suffering from severe chronic diseases.

You can become infected with chickenpox from a patient without even coming into close contact with him, since the virus is very volatile. The routes of transmission of the pathogen are airborne, very rarely - as a result of close contact with infected underwear of a patient, transplacental or ascending (through the maternal birth canal). Chickenpox is transmitted through kissing, and.

Chickenpox forms a strong immunity after suffering from any form of illness. But the pathogen remains in the human body, persisting for a long time in the nerve ganglia. Therefore, immunity after chickenpox is called non-sterile. When immunity decreases due to severe chronic illness or stress, the virus is activated, causing a disease called. Re-infection with chickenpox is extremely rare. This is observed in individuals with severe immunosuppression: with leukemia during chemotherapy, in those infected, and also after transplantation of donor organs and tissues. These patients may get chickenpox again.

How does chickenpox manifest?

From the moment of infection with the virus to the first signs of the disease, on average, it takes from 11 to 21 days (incubation period). During this latent period, the causative agent of chickenpox from the respiratory epithelium penetrates the lymph, then into the blood and, multiplying, spreads throughout all organs. The patient may feel weak and fatigued, bad dream. During the incubation period of chickenpox, the day before the onset of the rash, the patient becomes infectious to others. Feeling worse, temperature rises.

What does chickenpox look like? The varicella zoster virus primarily infects the epithelial cells of the superficial layer of the skin. As a result of their death and the development of swelling of the surrounding tissues on the skin and mucous membranes, a disease specific to chickenpox occurs. It has several stages of development, and can stop at any of them, determining the course of the disease by severity. Stages of skin rash transformation: macula - papule - vesicle - crust - healing, scar or pustule. On the mucous membranes (on the conjunctiva of the eye, in the throat, in the mouth) these are: macula - papule - vesicle - erosion - healing.

Highlight the following types chickenpox (some can cause complications):

1. Typical mild form. Characterized by a satisfactory condition without symptoms of intoxication, low fever, mild skin rash with pronounced polymorphism, no more than 3 days of sleep, no enanthems.
2. Typical moderate form chickenpox - moderate intoxication, body temperature rises to 39 degrees during a period of repeated rashes, lasting up to 5 days. The rash is profuse, there are enanthems. Diagnosis of the disease based on the morphology of the rash does not present any difficulties.
3. Typical severe form occurs with high (up to 40 degrees) temperature, severe intoxication. Severe rash on the face, torso, mucous membranes, genitals, and head. Symptoms of brain damage and nervous system. High likelihood of complications from internal organs and pyogenic infection.
4. Atypical rudimentary(hidden form). It is often missed, considering the child healthy. This form is observed if a baby under three months of age falls ill and has maternal antibodies in the blood, or if prophylaxis with immunoglobulin was carried out on time. This form of the disease is dangerous from an epidemic point of view, as it remains infectious.
5. Atypical gangrenous form. If viral chickenpox is complicated by microbial flora, then against the background of reduced immunity, purulent melting and necrosis of tissue areas with severe intoxication and a very serious general condition are possible. Therefore, careful treatment of the rash is important - bathing, treatment with brilliant green, other antiseptics (calamine, for example). You can use antiviral or zinc ointments.
6. Atypical hemorrhagic form It is very difficult to treat and has a poor prognosis.
7. Generalized form chickenpox occurs with the involvement of internal organs and the development of multiple organ failure. It can affect weakened children, newborns, and adults receiving immunosuppressive or chemotherapy treatments.

How to prevent chickenpox and its complications

Chickenpox is contagious for an average of two weeks. The infectious period lasts from the moment the prodrome begins (a day or two before the first elements of the rash appear) until the crusts fall off. The disease is only transmitted by humans, so for the entire duration of the illness the patient should not have contact with healthy children or walk away from kindergartens and schools. Since the virus causes herpes zoster for the second time, it is necessary to exclude contact of these patients with healthy children. The duration of the infectious period is until the rash disappears.

To prevent bacterial complications, it is necessary to follow all the doctor’s recommendations, wash regularly, bathe in herbal decoctions and a weak solution of potassium permanganate. As prescribed by the doctor, start taking antiviral or antibacterial drugs on time.

The most effective way Chickenpox prevention is a specific vaccination, especially vaccination of children under one year of age.

Chickenpox symptoms

Chickenpox in adults over 17 years of age accounts for no more than 10% of all cases. Since the pathogen is widespread, people most often become infected with it already in preschool age. After the disease, lifelong immunity remains, so chickenpox in an adult appears only after the first contact with the varicella-zoster virus. The human body has not developed reliable protection against the pathogen, and therefore, after suffering from chickenpox, it continues to live in an inactive form in the nerve ganglia. There is information that during hormone therapy, chemotherapy for cancer, after organ transplantation against the background of severe suppression of the immune system, re-infection with chickenpox is possible. In less severe cases(stress, exacerbation of chronic diseases) activation of the virus manifests itself in the form of herpes zoster.

Chickenpox symptoms in adults

Typically, such a mild disease in childhood as chickenpox in adults has symptoms of at least moderate severity. At the same time, after the age of 20, adults suffer severe and complicated forms equally often in any age category. Chicken pox is more severe in the presence of concomitant chronic diseases and immunodeficiency conditions.

The duration of the incubation period after contact with the pathogen can be minimal - from 11 days or last up to 21 days. In the prodrome stage, which appears on average 30 hours before the first rash, general infectious symptoms are already expressed in the form of weakness, low-grade fever, headache, and aches.

The first signs of chickenpox in adults often include symptoms of cerebral edema and involvement of the peripheral nervous system. This is photo and sound sensitivity, and does not bring relief, loss of coordination of movements, weakness or convulsive twitching in the skeletal muscles.

With the appearance of the first pink spots on the skin, the period of rashes begins. At this time, the following symptoms are characteristic of chickenpox in adults:

1. A profuse rash on the skin, clearly giving a picture of false polymorphism by the fifth day.
2. Enanthemas on the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, in the mouth, on the genitals (at the age of over 18 years in almost 100% of chickenpox cases).
3. Repeated waves of repeated rashes lasting up to 10 days.
4. Body temperature rises at the peak of the appearance of rashes to 39-40 degrees.
5. Pronounced symptoms of intoxication.
6. Chickenpox quickly causes complications in adults caused by pyogenic flora. The vesicles transform into pustules, which take a long time to wet. When opened, deep ulcers are exposed, which heal to form scars. If the immune defense does not work at the proper level, the development of abscesses, phlegmon, fasciitis, even sepsis and the necrotizing form of the disease is possible.
7. The disease often occurs in atypical severe forms. Chickenpox in adults leads to complications much more often than in childhood.

Complications of chickenpox in adults

Complications after chickenpox in adults are associated with the generalization of the process and damage by the zoster virus to various internal organs, the frequent addition of pathogenic microbes and the disruption of adaptation mechanisms in the endocrine and immune systems. The most common are:

1. Herpetic lesions of the respiratory system: tracheitis, laryngitis, pneumonia with respiratory failure.
2. Pathology of detoxification organs: liver abscesses, nephritis.
3. Damage to the nervous system, both central and peripheral. Meningitis, polyradiculoneuritis, cerebellar ataxia, edema and cyst formation in the brain, paralysis or paresis of skeletal muscles may occur.
4. Pathology of the musculoskeletal system in the form of arthritis, synovitis, myositis, fasciitis.
5. Damage to the heart (myocarditis) and blood vessels (arteritis, thrombophlebitis, hemorrhagic syndrome, increased thrombus formation).

There are frequent residual effects of chickenpox in adults in the form of hemiparesis, long-term impairment of motor coordination, asthenic syndrome, scars and areas of skin atrophy, and the formation of chronic liver and kidney diseases.

Treatment and prevention of chickenpox in adults

Chickenpox in adults includes treatment with antipyretics, antihistamines, and rashes with external agents. From the first days of the disease, active prevention of severe complications is required. Therefore, it is necessary to treat chickenpox in adults with the mandatory use of antiviral drugs. They are used not only in the form of ointments, but also tablets and solutions for parenteral administration. Treatment of chickenpox in adults includes the use of immunoglobulins to reduce the activity of the virus. Antibacterial therapy is often required.

Prevention of chickenpox in adult women and men includes avoiding contact with sick people. Since the disease is usually severe and often leaves disabling consequences, it is advisable that a preventive vaccination against chickenpox be given to adults who have not been ill. Emergency prevention of chickenpox is carried out by administering immunoglobulin or vaccination no later than three days after contact.

You can find symptoms of all diseases on our website in the section.

Causes of chickenpox

The only source of chickenpox is a sick person. The patient is at risk from the onset of chickenpox and for 3-4 days after the last blisters appear. You can also become infected with herpes zoster from a patient, because this disease is caused by the same virus.

Chickenpox is transmitted by airborne droplets (that is, by inhaling it with air) and spreads over fairly long distances. The virus spreads easily with air flow through the ventilation system, staircases from floor to floor. It can also be transmitted from mother to fetus.

Complications of chickenpox

In the vast majority of cases, chickenpox is mild, without leaving any serious consequences. Severe complications after chickenpox, including death, are observed more often in adults, patients with immunodeficiency conditions and blood diseases, in newborns and adolescents.

Typical complications of chickenpox

Chickenpox causes complications that are directly related to the impact of the virus and the patient’s body’s response to it. It is also possible that secondary bacterial flora can join with the development of purulent inflammation.

The consequences of chickenpox caused by exposure to the virus:

1. A profuse rash on the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract can cause the clinical picture of chickenpox tracheitis or laryngitis. In this case, the patient experiences a dry, rough feeling, pain along the trachea, and difficulty breathing.
2. Multiple chickenpox sores in the mouth give a picture of acute stomatitis. Painful swallowing and chewing are noted due to erosions on the palate, oral mucosa and gums.
3. A confluent blistering rash on the genitals causes the development of painful inflammation of the foreskin and glans penis in men. In women, involvement of the labia mucosa and vulvitis is observed.
4. The most common consequences of chickenpox remain on the skin. Although the virus affects only the most superficial layers of the epidermis, often due to severe itching, patients, especially children, tear off the drying crusts and scratch the resulting erosions. As a result, the germ layer is disrupted. This leads to the formation of chickenpox scars after complete healing. In most cases, they are very gentle, gradually smooth out and disappear without a trace within a few months. But in the folds of the skin and in places where the skin rubs strongly with clothing, the deep layers of the epidermis are usually damaged. In this case, chickenpox scars remain for life. Their characteristic feature is the absence of melanin pigment, and therefore, despite their small size, their white traces become noticeable against the background of tanned skin. Laser correction at a cosmetic clinic will help remove signs of chickenpox.
5. As a result of virus damage to nerve cells and meninges, chickenpox encephalitis, meningitis, damage to the cerebellum and cranial nerve nuclei are observed. The patient experiences central nausea and vomiting, convulsions and loss of consciousness, impaired coordination of movements and sense of balance. When peripheral motor neurons are damaged, flaccid paralysis occurs, and the face may become outwardly asymmetrical. Neurological consequences after chickenpox are usually favorable. Within a few weeks, complete regression of symptoms and recovery occurs.

Other complications of chickenpox

1. Chickenpox causes complications associated with bacterial inflammation blistering rash. These are purulent conjunctivitis and stomatitis, balanoposthitis, vulvitis, pyoderma. Most often, long-lightening pigment spots remain in place of pustules. But with long-term non-healing wounds, complicated by an abscess or inflammation of the subcutaneous tissue, the most likely consequences will be rough scars after chickenpox. The cause of the development of these complications is most often a violation of hygiene rules when caring for the skin or immunodeficiencies.
2. When the chickenpox virus or bacterial flora spreads through the bloodstream throughout the body, complications after chickenpox such as serous or purulent arthritis and myocarditis, nephritis are possible. Very often there is a painful enlargement of regional lymph nodes.
3. Chickenpox, complicated by gangrenous inflammation of the skin, can have consequences in the form of thrombophlebitis of the superficial and deep veins.

Read also on our website about the symptoms of chickenpox.

Diagnosis of chickenpox

Typically, diagnosing chickenpox is not difficult due to the special morphology of the rash and the characteristic clinical picture. The exception is atypical variants of the course of the disease.

Chickenpox criteria

The diagnostic criteria for chickenpox are the following symptoms:

1. The period of rash begins 11-21 days after contact with the sick person.
2. Wave-like course of the rash period.
3. False polymorphism of the chickenpox rash (the presence on the patient’s skin at the same time of all stages of development of the rash element from the macula to the crust).
4. Specific features of the rash. These are single-chamber soft vesicles in the surface layer of the epidermis, often without an inflammatory basis, completing their development with an itchy crust. Immunofluorescence analysis for chickenpox of smears-imprints of the serous contents of the vesicles or their microscopy (conventional and electronic) identifies the pathogen.
5. Presence of enanthema.
6. In doubtful cases, a test for antibodies to chickenpox is performed - a serological blood test (complement fixation reaction) over time, twice with an interval of more than 2 weeks. An increase of 4 times or more in the titer of antibodies to the varicella zoster virus is indisputable evidence.
7. When diagnosing chickenpox, a peripheral blood test only indicates a viral infection occurring in the patient’s body.
8. The most informative modern research method is electron microscopy of the varicella zoster virus in tissue culture taken during a lifelong or post-mortem biopsy from the affected organ of a sick person.

Differential diagnosis of chickenpox is carried out with bacterial skin lesions (streptoderma), allergic rash, smallpox, a complicated form of herpetic infection, and other rash infections of a viral nature.

Chickenpox treatment

The best remedy for chickenpox is a prophylactic vaccination against chickenpox. The Okavax vaccine was developed by Japanese scientists back in the 70s of the last century, its effectiveness and safety have been confirmed. The chickenpox vaccine can also be used for emergency immunization in the first three days after contact with a person with chickenpox or herpes zoster. Vaccination is especially indicated for children with immunodeficiencies, severe chronic diseases, and adolescents.

The chickenpox vaccine has low price, at the same time, a single immunization forms complete and lasting immunity. In some regions, chickenpox vaccination is included in the immunization program. In this case, those who wish can get vaccinated free of charge.

Principles of chickenpox treatment

If symptoms of the disease are detected, treatment of chickenpox includes the following basic principles:

1. Limitation of all types of loads. For periods of fever or neurological manifestations - bed rest.
2. Drink plenty of fruit and berry juices.
3. Diet based on dairy products, fruits and vegetables. Restriction of carbohydrates with normal protein content.
4. Strict adherence to the rules of personal hygiene, it is especially necessary to carefully monitor the cleanliness of the external genitalia and the skin of natural folds. Daily showers or quick baths. Do not rub the skin with a towel or washcloth, and do not pick off any crusts that have formed.
5. Use antipyretic drugs to bring down the temperature above 38 degrees. A suitable drug is paracetamol in suppositories, suspensions or tablets. Your doctor may prescribe ibuprofen. Chickenpox requires excluding aspirin from treatment, especially in young children. It can cause very severe liver damage, including death.
6. Antihistamines (Suprastin, Tavegil, Diazolin, Fenkarol) as prescribed by a doctor. They speed up the drying of crusts and help relieve itching from chickenpox.
7. External means for treating rash elements (ointment, gel, paste, alcohol and water solutions) are used every day after bathing. They help relieve itching, speed up drying and falling off of crusts, and cure bacterial complications. It is necessary to rinse the mouth and wash the eye slits with antiseptic solutions for enanthems in the throat or conjunctiva.
8. Antiviral medications(“Acyclovir”, “Panciclovir”, “Virolex”, adenine arabinoside) in the form of ointments, tablets for oral administration or injections. "Acyclovir" for chickenpox stops the multiplication of the virus and reduces the intensity of the rash. Having an immunostimulating effect, this medicine for chickenpox prevents the generalization of infection and severe complications.
9. Treating chickenpox with antibacterial therapy orally, parenterally or externally in the form of ointments or powders is justified only if bacterial complications are proven.
10. Treat only in an infectious diseases hospital in severe cases of the disease. Here, for complications of chickenpox, treatment methods are used aimed at preventing life-threatening conditions and residual consequences.
11. Since the susceptibility to the Varicella Zoster virus in those who have not been ill approaches 100%, it is imperative that when a patient is identified, they are quickly isolated from healthy people for the entire infectious period. In children's organized groups, to prevent an outbreak of chicken pox, a quarantine is declared.

External remedies for chickenpox

Quick treatment of chickenpox is ensured by regular and frequent use of topical products that have by various mechanisms actions. It is only important to know how to use these drugs correctly and in what cases.

1. Chickenpox requires treatment, first of all, of the rash that appears. To speed up the drying of rash elements and the formation of crusts, alcohol and aqueous solutions of aniline dyes have long been used. The most common is brilliant green. You need to smear each element with a cotton swab. The dye is not washed off until the next treatment, so it allows you to monitor the appearance of new loose elements. The itching after its application also decreases for a short time. But it is better to use a 5% aqueous solution of potassium permanganate, Castellani liquid. They provide quick withdrawal itching and prevent bacterial infection. Iodine has not been widely used in treatment, as it increases itching. At an older age, fucorcin can be used to remove pustular elements.
2. To get rid of itching, chickenpox is treated with folk remedies. Baths with a decoction of oak bark, joster, chamomile, and sage are useful. If it itches unbearably between baths, you can apply lotions to pimples several times a day using the same folk remedies from chickenpox, but with a solution of higher concentration.
3. For enanthems in the mouth, on the conjunctiva of the eye, on the genitals, you need to gargle and wash the child with a solution of furacillin, a weak solution of potassium permanganate or boric acid. It is also useful to use the above traditional methods chickenpox treatment.
4. What to apply to an itchy rash? Zinc ointment is used to ensure that the crusts fall off quickly. To reduce blisters, use an ointment for chickenpox containing a medicine with antiviral activity (Gerpevir, Acyclovir). Severe itching can be treated with Calamine Lotion.

In one of the sections of our website there is information about vaccination against rabies.

Read also on our website about and.

Prevention of chickenpox

A person has 100% susceptibility to the causative agent of chickenpox. Therefore, it is almost impossible not to become infected with chickenpox during initial close contact with him. The virus is very volatile and extremely unstable during external environment. Therefore, the main measures to help prevent chickenpox are aimed at quickly separating the patient and quarantine monitoring of contacts.

Principles of chickenpox prevention

Nonspecific prevention of chickenpox includes the following measures:

1. Isolation of a sick child from healthy children and a ban on visiting an organized group until complete recovery.
2. Carrying out preventive quarantine measures and monitoring contacts in the period from 11 to 21 days after the fact of contact with the patient. Sanitation of premises in order to avoid infection is not required. Regular ventilation and wet cleaning are enough.
3. Antiviral drugs such as Acyclovir are not used to prevent chickenpox, but taking them can reduce the activity of rashes and prevent the development of complications.
4. In closed children's groups, children under one year old and weakened are given a specific immunoglobulin on the first day of contact with chickenpox, which allows them not to get sick or to suffer from the disease in a mild or abortive form.

In the last decade, specific immune prophylaxis for chickenpox has become available.

Chickenpox vaccination

Chickenpox in children

Chickenpox in 90% of cases occurs in childhood. Most often children 4-9 years old get sick. During this period, the most favorable course of the disease is observed with the smallest number complications. At the ages of 6 months to 4 years and over 10 years, chickenpox is much less common, but its onset and progression is more severe. Babies up to 6 months are protected by maternal antibodies. Therefore, chickenpox is rare in infants, and they often experience the disease in a mild form.

Features of chickenpox in children

The child is contagious to others during the period starting two days before the rash and until the crusts fall off. Therefore, quarantine in kindergarten begins with the first case of the disease and lasts 21 days from the moment the last sick child is identified. In addition, it is not only childhood chickenpox that is epidemically dangerous for children who have not been sick. The Varicella Zoster virus can remain in an inactive state for a long time and, when the immune system is weakened, cause herpes zoster. When contacting such patients after the incubation period, signs of chickenpox also appear in children who have not previously had it.

For mild and moderate illness, chickenpox in children is treated at home. From the moment the first symptoms appear, the child is given plenty of water and transferred to a dairy-vegetable diet. The rash should be carefully smeared with aniline dyes and tannin solution, which have disinfecting and drying properties, every day after hygienic bathing without a washcloth. As an antipyretic drug, it is prohibited to treat chickenpox in children with aspirin, since in children it can cause life-threatening Reye's syndrome against the background of a viral infection. At high temperatures, it is recommended to use paracetamol and ibuprofen. When diagnosed with chickenpox in children antibacterial treatment prescribed only in case of microbial complications. Antiviral drugs, such as acyclovir, reduce the severity of clinical symptoms of the disease and are used to prevent life-threatening complications in weakened children.

Chickenpox in young children

1. Chickenpox in newborns up to 11 days of life is considered congenital, since this is the shortest incubation period for the virus. The severity of the infection varies and depends on the timing of intrauterine infection. If a pregnant woman becomes infected 10 or more days before giving birth, then her body has time to develop protective antibodies and transfer them to the fetus. Then chickenpox in newborns occurs in a mild or abortive form. If infection occurs less than five days before birth, about 17% of newborns become ill. The infection will have a moderate, severe or generalized form with damage to internal organs and a high probability of death (about 31% of cases).
2. Chickenpox in premature newborns, due to the low reactogenicity of the immature organism, is usually mild. Chickenpox manifests itself in children by an increase in body temperature to subfebrile levels. The rash is not abundant, often maculopapular, and quickly disappears without a trace. Complications are usually not recorded.
may occur in a mild form if maternal specific antibodies are still preserved in his body. As transplacental immunity wanes, the disease in an infant takes on an increasingly more severe course, up to a generalized form involving internal organs, with hemorrhagic and purulent complications. In these cases, chickenpox in infants occurs with high body temperature and severe intoxication. The likelihood of disabling consequences and death of the child is very high.
3. Over the age of one year, chickenpox in children has mild or moderate symptoms.

Chickenpox in older children

The first signs of chickenpox in children over 10 years of age are often detected in the form of headache, nausea and vomiting, and high body temperature. This course at 12 years of age is associated with frequent involvement of cells and membranes of the brain in the pathological process. The rash is usually profuse and is accompanied by the appearance of enanthems in the mouth and genitals. Due to the spread to the eyelids, palms and feet, as well as the multiplicity of erosions and crusts on the face and body, the child looks burned. Complications after chickenpox in children aged 13 years and older are recorded in 7% of cases. There are chickenpox pneumonia, suppuration of the rash, sepsis with damage to the liver, kidneys, and heart. Therefore, in the outbreak of chickenpox, children and adolescents who have not been sick are given a vaccination that 100% protects against the disease.

Chickenpox in teenagers

Chickenpox in adolescents occurs in less than 10% of all reported cases. This is due to the high susceptibility of the human body to the pathogen, its wide distribution, as well as close contacts in large groups of children aged 3-8 years, which contribute to the rapid spread of the disease. Therefore, chickenpox is rarely reported in adolescents over the age of 14 years.

Features of chickenpox in adolescents

A healthy teenager can become infected with chickenpox or herpes zoster from a patient. The incubation period over the age of 16 lasts 14 - 17 days, up to a maximum of 22 days. In the body of a child aged 15 years and older, rapid processes of hormonal and physical changes occur. They cause his vulnerability and increased sensitivity. Frequent breakdowns in the immune defense system cause adolescents to be susceptible to all infections and have weak resistance to them. Therefore, it is recommended that children over 14 years of age who have not had chickenpox get vaccinated.

There are specific signs of chickenpox in adolescents:

If a teenager gets chickenpox, due to severe itching and a high risk of purulent complications, close attention should be paid to thoroughly treating the rash on the skin and mucous membranes with antiseptic solutions.

1. Pronounced symptoms of the prodromal period. Approximately 30 hours before the onset of the rash, an increase in body temperature, severe headache and muscle pain, general weakness, and a pronounced intoxication syndrome are observed. Encephalic manifestations in the form of convulsive twitching and photophobia are possible.
2. Profuse itchingrashon the skin and mucous membranes. During the period of rashes, fresh elements appear in repeated “shocks”, so that by 5-7 days almost all of the skin is covered with elements of varying degrees of maturity.
3. Waves of rashes are accompanied by a significant deterioration in general condition.
4. Tendency of the rash to pustular degeneration. In children 14-16 years old, complications such as pyoderma, abscesses, phlegmon, and fasciitis are common. After the crusts fall off, there is a greater likelihood of pigment spots and scars forming.
5. The disease is rarely mild. The older the teenager, the more often moderate and severe forms of the disease are recorded.
6. There is a high probability of developing complications associated with the spread of the virus and microbes throughout the body. Myocarditis, pneumonia, arthritis, nephritis, bursitis, arthritis, hepatitis, enteritis, keratitis, sepsis may be observed. Gangrenous and hemorrhagic forms of the disease are recorded.

Treatment of chickenpox in adolescents

Chickenpox in adolescents includes treatment of the underlying disease and its complications. Bed rest, dairy-vegetable diet with plenty of liquid, taking antihistamines and antipyretics - the regimen is the same as for a patient of any age.

Chickenpox in adolescents must be treated with antiviral drugs, not only in the form of ointments, but also in parenteral injections. Antibacterial therapy is often required. To prevent severe complications, the administration of immunoglobulin is widely used.

Adults rarely get chickenpox, but it happens that mature age have to endure this disease. If a person did not get sick in childhood, then the immune system is unfamiliar with the disease and is exposed to infection. It is safe to say that chickenpox is much easier and easier to tolerate in childhood than in adulthood. Therefore, if in adolescence or you didn’t get chickenpox when you were very young, then whether you are a man or a woman, this disease is unlikely to bypass you when you come into contact with the virus.

Signs of chickenpox in adults in the early stages

It cannot be said that chickenpox is a dangerous and difficult disease, but if it is tolerated by a mature person, then anything is possible. After twenty years, the symptoms of chickenpox in adults can be complicated. One can also note the difficult course of the disease in the presence of chronic diseases, as well as other immunodeficiency states of the body. The incubation period from the onset of infection can last from 11 to 21 days. The first signs of chickenpox in adults may appear as early as a day before the rash. This is, as a rule, general malaise, weakness, low fever, headaches and aches. More serious disturbances such as photophobia, convulsive muscle twitching, lack of coordination and others may also be observed.

Symptoms of chickenpox in an adult

The disease is accompanied by the following symptoms:

1. A profuse rash on the skin in the form of pink spots.
2. The appearance of enanthems on the mucous membranes of the mouth, respiratory tract and genitals is almost 99% likely with chickenpox.
3. The appearance of rashes continues for up to ten days, having a transparent film with liquid.
4. Temperatures can rise to 40 degrees.
5. Pronounced signs of intoxication.
6. The blisters should not be squeezed out or scratched, because after they are opened, dimples form on the skin and scars are more likely.
7. Complications of various types are possible in adulthood much more often than in children. Therefore, regular consultation with a doctor is necessary.

Complications of chickenpox

Since the first symptoms of chickenpox in adults appear in a mild form, serious disruption of the functioning of some organs is possible during the entire period of the disease. In this case, serious complications, so-called post-infectious, are possible:

1. Lesions of the respiratory system of a herpetic nature - tracheitis, pneumonia.
2. Disturbances in the detoxification system - nephritis, abscess, hepatitis.
3. Damage to the central nervous system, manifested in the form of encephalitis, meningitis, cerebellar ataxia and cerebral edema.
4. Manifestation of arthritis, synovitis and fasciitis.
5. The functioning of the heart and blood vessels is affected.

We have listed the most common complications of the disease. But you shouldn’t be upset about this, because this pathology will not necessarily be observed in every person who suffers chickenpox in adulthood. Quite often there are cases when the disease is tolerated in a mild form, even without fever. In adults, chickenpox is accompanied by a rash in any case, so it cannot be avoided. But as for all other signs of the disease, this is a purely natural characteristic of each of us. Someone may end up in the hospital for emergency hospitalization, while for others the disease will be completely invisible, and recovery will come much faster. But in all cases, it is worth remembering one thing - small rashes on the skin should not be scratched or pressed, this can lead to scars in the future, as well as a dangerous infection.