Chickenpox is a highly contagious viral infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) that causes fever, headache, and stomach ache, followed by an itchy skin rash. The virus that causes chickenpox can linger in the body for years and later cause a painful rash called shingles.
You can get the varicella-zoster virus that causes chickenpox if you never had chickenpox or have not been vaccinated if an infected person coughs or sneezes, propelling respiratory droplets into the air that you inhale. The varicella-zoster virus can also be contracted by touching an area of chickenpox rash on an infected person or by close contact with a person who has chickenpox.
The varicella-zoster virus also causes shingles, and can be spread through close contact with people with shingles to others who have never had chickenpox or received the chickenpox vaccine.
What Are Symptoms of Chickenpox?
Early symptoms of chickenpox include:
- Fever
- Sore throat
- Loss of appetite
- Feeling unwell (malaise)
About a day later, the characteristic rash of chickenpox appears. The rash:
- Starts out as groups of small, red bumps that usually itch
- Bumps tend to swell with fluid and then pop
- Often develops on the face, chest, back, or arms and legs
- New clusters of blisters continue to develop for a few days
- The blisters then dry up, crust, and scab
- Lasts about a week
- Scabs fall off after about a week or two
- Scabs can leave marks on the skin that usually fade over time
What Causes Chickenpox?
Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), which is also the same virus that causes shingles.
People at high risk for severe illness from chickenpox include:
What Is the Treatment for Chickenpox?
In healthy young children, treatment for chickenpox is usually not necessary. Most children can recover on their own without medication. The goal of treatments for chickenpox are relief of symptoms and may include:
- For fever
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol) to treat fever
- Children should not be given aspirin, as it can cause a dangerous condition called Reye syndrome
- For itching
- Antihistamines
- Diphenhydramine (Benadryl), which can cause drowsiness
- Loratadine (Claritin), which usually does not cause sleepiness
- Skin treatments for itching
- There is no scientific evidence these remedies work, however, they are unlikely to be harmful so patients can use them if they feel them to be helpful
- Calamine lotion
- Oatmeal baths
- Do not scratch lesions, because this may cause a skin infection and increase the chances of developing a scar
- Antihistamines
Older children, children with certain medical conditions, and adults who have not been vaccinated against the varicella-zoster virus and who develop chickenpox may have more serious symptoms. In addition to the above treatments to ease symptoms, antiviral medications may be prescribed, such as:
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https://www.cdc.gov/chickenpox/index.html