Chicken Pox

DR.
AARTI BHARDWAJ
 Chicken pox is mild
& acute
,communicable,viral
infection.
 Mostly in children
under 10 yrs age.
 Characterized by
vesicular rash &
fever.
 It occur worldwide
 sporadically
 endemically
 epidemically.
 Giovanni Filipo an Italian scientist first
described the symptoms of Chicken Pox
 An English physician described a mild
case of Small Pox as “Chicken Pox” in the
1600s
 William Heberden was the fist physician
to demonstrate that Chicken Pox was
different than Small Pox
 The skin appeared to be picked by
chickens
 Resembles the seeds of Chick Peas
 Most common explanation is that its not
that dangerous so it’s a “chicken” version
of Pox.
•Pox is another
word for a curse,
which is what it was
believed to be in
medieval times.
 Varicella zooster (V-Z)
 Also known as human herpes virus 3 (HHV-
3)
 one of the eight herpes viruses known to
affect humans
 Filterable virus
 INCUBATION PERIOD: 14-16 DAYS
 MODE OF TRANSMISSION:
 Chickenpox spreads easily. It is most contagious the day
before the rash appears.
 It spreads from person to person through direct contact
with the virus. You can get chickenpox if you touch a
blister, or the liquid from a blister. You can also get
chickenpox if you touch the spit of a person who has
chickenpox. The virus enters the body by the nose or
mouth and can make you sick also.
 It can also spread through the air, if you are near someone
with chickenpox who is coughing or sneezing.
 A pregnant woman with chickenpox can pass it on to her
baby before birth.
 Mothers with chickenpox can also give it to their newborn
babies after birth.
 Persons to person
contact or
sneezing/coughin
g
 Kids around 6 or 7
will usually spread

it between each
other.
 A rash that usually begins on the body and face and
later often spreads to the scalp and limbs.
 It may also spread to the mucous membranes
especially in the mouth and on the genitals.
 The rash is often itchy.
 It begins as small red spots which develop into
blisters in a couple of hours.
 After one or two days, the blisters turn into scabs.
 New blisters may appear after three to six
days.
 The number of blisters differs greatly from
one person to another.
 The infected person may run a
temperature.
 These symptoms are mild in young
children.
 Chickenpox lasts 7 to 10 days in children
and longer in adults.
 Adults can feel very ill and take longer to
recover. They are also more likely than
children to suffer complications
 Pregnant women who have not had
chickenpox.
 People with a weak immune system, such
as those with acute or chronic leukaemia or

HIV.
 Patients taking medicine to suppress their
immune system, such as long-term oral

corticosteroids
 Chickenpox is contagious from about 2 days before
the rash appears and lasts until all the blisters are
crusted over. A child with chickenpox should be kept
out of school until all blisters have dried, usually
about 1 week. If you're unsure about whether your
child is ready to return to school, ask your doctor.
 Chickenpox is very contagious - most kids with a
sibling who's been infected will get it as well, showing
symptoms about 2 weeks after the first child does. To
help keep the virus from spreading, make sure your
kids wash their hands frequently, particularly before
eating and after using the bathroom. And keep a child
with chickenpox away from unvaccinated siblings as
much as possible.
 Fever higher than 103?F
 A rash involving an eye
 Continued dehydration, vomiting, or decreased
fluid intake
 Uncertainty of diagnosis or what medication to
give
 Blisters leak a thick, yellow or green fluid.
 Areas around a blister are red, increasingly
painful, or swollen, or have red streaking
extending from the site.
 You can give cool-water baths every 3-4 hours, adding baking
soda to the water to calm itching.
 Trimming fingernails can help prevent infection from scratching
the blisters. If you have a small infant with chickenpox, cover
the child's hands with mittens to minimize scratching.
 Never give aspirin to a child because aspirin has been
associated with Reye syndrome.
 Occasionally a child will develop blisters in the mouth, making
eating or drinking painful. A person must continue to drink
fluids to prevent dehydration. To alleviate pain, provide cold
fluids (ice pops are one suggestion) and soft bland foods.
 Avoid any foods that are spicy, hot, or acidic (for instance,
orange juice).
 Keep children at home from school and daycare until all
blisters have crusted. A child with chickenpox is extremely
contagious until the last crop of blisters has crusted.
 Acyclovir
 Tylenol
 In medieval times
and still today,

oatmeal baths are
used to relieve
itching.
 Adults
 Infants
 Teenagers
 People with weak
immune systems
 Varicella Zoster Immune Globulin (VZIG)
 Only offers temporary protection
 Recommended for:
 Newborns whose mothers have chickenpox 5 days
prior to 2 days after delivery
 Children with leukemia or lymphoma who have not
been vaccinated
 Persons with cellular immunodeficiencies or other
immune problems
 Persons receiving drugs, including steroids, that
suppress the immune system
 Pregnant women
 Bacterial Infections
 Viral Pneumonia
 Bleeding Problems
 Infection of the brain
 Before there was a vaccine, about 100
people died of Chicken Pox every year in
America
 Most of those deaths occurred in people
that didn’t have an illness that put them at
higher risk
 Deaths still occur in healthy children and
adults
 Saves lives
 Saves $$$
 Kids don’t miss school
 85% percent affective in preventing
disease
 Less likely to develop Shingles
 If someone does get Chicken Pox after
vaccination, it usually is a lot less worse
than a typical case resulting in a few skin
lesions, little to no fever and lasting fewer
days
 Vaccine is new. Don’t know about long
term side affects yet
 Chicken Pox is usually pretty harmless. No
use in vaccinating
 The vaccine is only expected to be
effective for 20 years. Those who were
vaccinated will need a booster shot.
Between the time the original shot wears
off and the booster shot, those who were
vaccinated can now develop Chicken Pox
later in life when its more dangerous
 If you had a serious allergic reaction to
Chicken Pox vaccine
 You have a moderate to serious illness
 You’re pregnant
 Unable to fight off serious infection
 People that have been vaccinated for
Chicken Pox can still get Shingles, but

they are less likely than someone that
hasn’t been vaccinated to get it
 Is caused by the
chickenpoxvirus that
remains in the nerve
roots of all persons who
had chickenpox and can
come out in your body
again years later to
cause illness.
 More common after age
50 and the increases risk
with age.
 Shingles is contagious.
 If you come in contact with someone with
Shingles and you haven’t had Chicken Pox
yet, you will get Chicken Pox and not
Shingles
 There is no vaccine for Shingles. There is
work being done to create one. It is

expected to take about 5 years

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DR.

will usually spread

as those with acute or chronic leukaemia or

immune system, such as long-term oral

and still today,

Chicken Pox can still get Shingles, but

work being done to create one. It is

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