Chicken poxChicken pox

ChickenpoxChickenpox, also spelled , also spelled chicken poxchicken pox, is the , is the common name for common name for Varicella zosterVaricella zoster

Classically one of the childhood infectious Classically one of the childhood infectious diseases caught and survived by most children.diseases caught and survived by most children.

Chickenpox is caused by the Chickenpox is caused by the varicella-zoster virusvaricella-zoster virus (VZV), also known as human herpes virus 3 (HHV-(VZV), also known as human herpes virus 3 (HHV-3), one of the eight 3), one of the eight herpes virusesherpes viruses known to known to affect humans.affect humans.

It starts with It starts with conjunctivalconjunctival and and catarrhalcatarrhal symptoms, extreme symptoms, extreme defecationdefecation and then characteristic and then characteristic spots appearing in two or three spots appearing in two or three waves, mainly on the body and head waves, mainly on the body and head rather than the hands and becoming rather than the hands and becoming itchy raw itchy raw poxpox (pocks), small open (pocks), small open sores which heal mostly without sores which heal mostly without scarring.scarring.

PenyebaranPenyebaran

Chickenpox has a 10-14 day Chickenpox has a 10-14 day incubation period and is highly incubation period and is highly contagious by air transmission two contagious by air transmission two days before symptoms appear. days before symptoms appear.

Following primary infection there is Following primary infection there is usually lifelong protective immunity usually lifelong protective immunity from further episodes of chickenpox. from further episodes of chickenpox.

Recurrent chickenpox is fairly rare Recurrent chickenpox is fairly rare but more likely in people with but more likely in people with compromised immune systems.compromised immune systems.

Symptomatic treatment, with Symptomatic treatment, with calamine lotioncalamine lotion to ease itching and to ease itching and paracetamolparacetamol ( (American EnglishAmerican English: : acetaminophen) to reduce fever, is acetaminophen) to reduce fever, is widely used.widely used.

Chickenpox is rarely fatal (usually Chickenpox is rarely fatal (usually from varicella pneumonia), with from varicella pneumonia), with pregnant women and those with a pregnant women and those with a suppressed immune systems being suppressed immune systems being more at risk. more at risk.

Pregnant women not known to be Pregnant women not known to be immune and who come into contact immune and who come into contact with chickenpox may need urgent with chickenpox may need urgent treatment as the virus can cause treatment as the virus can cause serious problems for the fetus. serious problems for the fetus.

This is less of an issue after 20 weeksThis is less of an issue after 20 weeks

Signs and SymptomsSigns and Symptoms

Chickenpox is a highly contagious Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease that spreads from person to disease that spreads from person to person by direct contact or through person by direct contact or through the air from an infected person's the air from an infected person's coughing or sneezing. coughing or sneezing.

Touching the fluid from a chickenpox Touching the fluid from a chickenpox blister can also spread the disease. A blister can also spread the disease. A person with chickenpox is contagious from person with chickenpox is contagious from 1-2 days before the rash appears until all 1-2 days before the rash appears until all blisters have formed scabs. This may take blisters have formed scabs. This may take 5-10 days.5-10 days.

It takes from 10-21 days after contact with It takes from 10-21 days after contact with an infected person for someone to develop an infected person for someone to develop chickenpox.chickenpox.

VaccinationVaccination

A varicella vaccine has been A varicella vaccine has been available since 1995 to inoculate available since 1995 to inoculate against the disease. against the disease.

Some countries require the varicella Some countries require the varicella vaccination or an exemption for vaccination or an exemption for matriculation in elementary school. matriculation in elementary school.

Protection is not lifelong and further Protection is not lifelong and further vaccination is necessary five years vaccination is necessary five years after the initial immunisation.after the initial immunisation.

In the UK, varicella antibodies are In the UK, varicella antibodies are measured as part of the routine of measured as part of the routine of prenatal care, and by 2005 all NHS prenatal care, and by 2005 all NHS healthcare personnel had determined their healthcare personnel had determined their immunity and been immunised if they immunity and been immunised if they were non-immune and have direct patient were non-immune and have direct patient contact. contact.

Population-based immunisation against Population-based immunisation against varicella is not otherwise practised in the varicella is not otherwise practised in the UK, because of lack of evidence of lasting UK, because of lack of evidence of lasting efficacy or public health benefit.efficacy or public health benefit.

Why the name of Why the name of chickenpox chickenpox ::

Samuel Johnson suggested that the Samuel Johnson suggested that the disease was "no very great danger", thus a disease was "no very great danger", thus a "chicken" version of the pox; "chicken" version of the pox;

the specks that appear looked as though the specks that appear looked as though the skin was pecked by chickens; the skin was pecked by chickens;

the disease was named after chick peas, the disease was named after chick peas, from a supposed similarity in size of the from a supposed similarity in size of the seed to the lesions; seed to the lesions;

the term reflects a corruption of the Old the term reflects a corruption of the Old English word English word giccingiccin, which meant , which meant itchingitching. .

As "pox" also means curse, in As "pox" also means curse, in medieval times some believed it was medieval times some believed it was a plague brought on to curse children a plague brought on to curse children by the use of black magic.by the use of black magic.