Chicken pox

Chicken pox: symptoms, treatment and prevention

Varicella, also known as chickenpox, is an acute viral disease that is characterized by the appearance of a characteristic rash. This is a highly contagious disease that can infect anyone, but most often children from 2 months to 7 years get sick.

Causes and symptoms of chickenpox

Chickenpox is spread by airborne droplets, and the source of infection is the sick person. The infectious period begins 1 day before the onset of the disease and ends 5-7 days after the appearance of the rash. The latent period of the disease lasts from 10 to 21 days.

Chickenpox is manifested by the appearance of a characteristic rash. First, a single element develops - the uterine one, then multiple rashes appear on the scalp, face, and torso. At the same time, body temperature rises; in children it does not exceed 38 °C, but it can be normal. In adults, with profuse rash, the temperature can reach 40 °C. The rash initially appears as small pink spots, which after a few hours turn into transparent blisters surrounded by a red halo. Later, some of them appear in the center of retraction. The size of the bubbles is from 1 to 5-6 mm. Some blisters, and sometimes most of them, can turn into pustules. This picture is more often observed in adults and is accompanied by high fever. After 1-2 days, the blisters dry out and become covered with crusts; after a week, the crusts fall off, leaving no scars.

The rash does not appear simultaneously, but as if in dots, so in a small area of ​​skin you can simultaneously see elements in different stages of development: a tubercle, a vesicle, a crust. The appearance of the rash is accompanied by itching, sometimes painful. As a rule, chickenpox (chickenpox) progresses favorably. Complications are rare. The most severe of them are associated with damage to the nervous system (meningitis, encephalitis, meningoencephalitis, etc.). Chicken pox poses a significant danger to patients with severe concomitant diseases, exacerbating them, as well as to pregnant women, especially in the first months, when the disease can lead to premature birth, congenital malformations of the fetus and other complications.

Treatment of chickenpox

In most cases, chickenpox is treated symptomatically. Treatment is aimed at reducing fever, reducing itching, and preventing infection of the blisters. Paracetamol or ibuprofen can be used to reduce the temperature. For severe itching, antihistamines can be used internally or externally. To prevent infection of the blisters, it is necessary to treat them with an antiseptic and cover the area of ​​the rash with ointment or cream.

In case of severe illness or complications, hospitalization in the infectious diseases department may be required. In such cases, antiviral drugs, immunomodulators and other drugs can be used.

Prevention of chickenpox

The main measure to prevent chickenpox is vaccination. Vaccination is given to children aged 12 months to 7 years and adults who have not had chickenpox and have not been vaccinated previously. Vaccination reduces the risk of disease and complications in case of disease.

In addition, to prevent infection with chickenpox, it is necessary to observe hygiene measures: regularly wash your hands, avoid contact with sick people, and do not visit crowded places during the epidemic. If you have contact with a sick person, you should immediately consult a doctor for preventive measures.