Chicken pox is a common childhood illness caused by the varicella-zoster virus. Though chicken pox usually occurs in children, anyone who is not immune can catch it. Once a person has had chicken pox, they normally cannot get it again.
The symptoms of chicken pox can include some or all of the following:
Chicken pox is very contagious (it is easy for one person to pass it onto someone else). A person who is not immune to chicken pox can catch it if they are around an infected person. The infection is spread by small drops coughed or sneezed by an infected person or by coming into contact with the fluid in the skin blisters. A person infected with chicken pox can spread the disease to others from up to 48 hours before the rash appears until all the spots have crusted over.
Most people get chicken pox as a child. While it is an uncomfortable disease, it usually resolves on its own in a few weeks. Some people are more at risk of having complications of chicken pox. Those at higher risk include:
A healthcare provider can diagnose chicken pox after hearing a patient’s symptoms and examining the rash. If there’s a question whether a person has had chicken pox in the past, a blood test can tell.
While uncomfortable, chicken pox is usually mild without long lasting complications.
However, in people at higher risk, possible complications can include:
Chicken pox usually goes away without treatment in a few weeks. For severe cases, antiviral medications may be given.
Over the counter medications, such as soothing lotions for the rash, antihistamines to help with itching, and painkillers for fever or headaches are often recommended.
The best prevention for complications of chicken pox is to get the disease as a youngster and develop immunity. For people in higher risk categories, there is a vaccine available. The vaccine is not part of the regular childhood vaccination schedule in South Africa, except for children who are considered high risk. For parents who wish to vaccinate their normal risk child, the vaccine can be acquired from private paediatric clinics for a fee.