Chickenpox: what it is, symptoms, causes and treatment

Chickenpox, also called chickenpox, is a highly contagious disease caused by the Varicella-zoster virus, which manifests itself through red spots on the body, blisters and crusts on the body and intense itching. Chickenpox especially affects children, but it can affect individuals of all ages, in this case being more serious.

Chickenpox symptoms usually appear within 20 days of contact with someone with the disease, with the appearance of small round blisters filled with fluid and itchy skin.

It is important that the pediatrician or general practitioner is consulted as soon as the first signs indicating chickenpox appear, as this way it is possible to start treatment immediately, which generally aims to alleviate symptoms.

Chickenpox symptoms

The main symptoms of chickenpox are:

• Fever, which can reach 39.5ºC;
• Appearance of red spots and/or small blisters, which may contain liquid, itch and spread quickly over the body;
• Appearance of wounds on the skin, which form due to intense itching;
• Tiredness;
• Lack of appetite;
• General malaise.

Chickenpox blisters can appear at different stages, with liquid-filled blisters being identified, while others are already healing, with a crust. It is important that the person knows that, as long as the blisters contain liquid, the patient can contaminate others and, therefore, should not go to school or work.

Chickenpox symptoms in baby

The symptoms of chickenpox in babies are the same as those mentioned above, however, coughing and nasal discharge may also appear before the blisters appear. In babies under 1 year of age, symptoms are usually mild, causing only a few skin wounds. Check out more details on how to identify chickenpox in a baby.

In the presence of signs and symptoms possibly indicative of chickenpox, it is important that the general practitioner or pediatrician is consulted so that the symptoms and blisters can be assessed and the diagnosis confirmed. Additionally, the doctor may recommend a blood test to confirm the infection.

How transmission happens

Chickenpox is transmitted through contact with droplets of saliva, coughing or sneezing from an infected person and direct contact with liquid from wounds.

A person can transmit chickenpox to others about 1 to 2 days before the rash, until all the blisters are crusted over. During this period, you should keep your distance from others and avoid going to public spaces.

Anyone who has had chickenpox once is protected against the disease and cannot get chickenpox again. However, in some cases, an individual who had chickenpox in childhood may develop herpes zoster, especially in the elderly and if their immune system is compromised, as occurs in people with AIDS or who are undergoing cancer treatments, for example. example.

What is the treatment like?

Generally, chickenpox treatment is done to control symptoms, and it is important that the person avoids contact with other people as much as possible to reduce the risk of transmission. The doctor may recommend the following care:

• Take paracetamol to reduce fever;
• Take anti-allergenic drugs or use an anti-allergenic ointment on wounds to relieve itching;
• Apply Povidone or chlorhexidine to the blisters, to prevent them from becoming infected and facilitate healing;
• Take 2 or 3 baths a day with cold water and calamine soap to soothe itching;
• Cut your nails very short to avoid aggravating skin injuries;
• Wash your hands several times a day to reduce the risk of blister infection;
• Avoid salty and acidic foods if there are wounds inside the mouth.

In addition, some doctors also recommend bathing with potassium permanganate to keep the skin clean, free of microorganisms and to help chickenpox wounds heal. Understand how chickenpox is treated.

Chickenpox vaccine

The chickenpox vaccine attenuates the virus and prevents the most serious form of the disease. Thus, if a person is vaccinated and catches chickenpox, a milder form of the disease may develop, with even fewer blisters typical of chickenpox, which sometimes are not even diagnosed.

The first dose of the vaccine should be administered at 12 months of age and the second at 15 months. This vaccine is part of the Brazilian Ministry of Health’s basic vaccination schedule and is offered free of charge in Basic Health Units. Find out more about the chickenpox vaccine.

Possible complications

The most common complication of chickenpox is infection of the blisters, causing pain and redness around the wound and pus formation. You can also suspect that chickenpox blisters are infected when they take a long time to heal or when they look wet when the scab is gone. In this case, the doctor may prescribe an antibiotic.

In some cases, such as people with compromised immunity, newborn babies and pregnant women, if chickenpox is not properly treated, complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis can occur.