The varicella-zoster virus causes chickenpox as its major infection. It’s an acute, highly contagious sickness that mostly affects kids under the age of ten. Chickenpox is often a mild, self-limiting infection that most healthy youngsters will recover from without consequences. Chickenpox disease lasts seven to 10 days on average.
The rash usually begins on the chest, with the majority of spots appearing on the chest and head (including in the hair), though some children and adults can have spots all over their bodies (except the palms of the hands and soles of the feet). The spots begin as red, itchy bumps that develop into blisters over time. When the blister’s top falls off, watery fluid leaks out. The area then develops a crust. The crust will flake off in approximately five days. The spots usually appear in waves over several days, causing new lumps, blisters, and crusting sores to appear on the skin.
In India, chickenpox is seen in both endemic and epidemic forms. Chickenpox is generally mild in healthy youngsters, but it can be fatal in immunocompromised individuals such as children, pregnant women, and newborns. It’s extremely contagious, and it’s spread via droplet infections. Chickenpox cases can be discovered at any time of year.
What is the cause of chickenpox?
The varicella-zoster virus is what causes chickenpox.
How does chickenpox spread?
- When a person sneezes or coughs, or when someone touches the blister fluid, the infection spreads. It can also be transferred by touching something that has come into contact with blister fluid (e.g. a dressing which covered the sore).
- Chickenpox can be contracted from the fluid in shingles blisters, but this is uncommon.
- From the onset of the illness (up to two days before the spots show) until around five days after the first spots emerge, the individual with chickenpox is contagious. Even if there are still crusts on the skin, the person will not be contagious as long as there are no new blisters or moist crusts on places.
- Chickenpox is a very contagious disease.
- To avoid scratching, keep fingernails short and clean, and cover hands with socks at night.
- To ease itching, keep the skin cold. Avoid hot baths and showers by dressing lightly. Inquire with your pharmacist or community health nurse about itching relief lotions.
- Prevent the spread of infection by washing any goods stained with fluid from chickenpox blisters with a household cleaner and removing the sick person from other family members who have not had chickenpox.
- Chickenpox is a relatively minor illness for the majority of people. You should rest if you have chickenpox, but you do not have to stay in bed. The things that make you or your child feel more at ease are the most beneficial. These are some of them:If you have a fever, drink plenty of liquids including water, juice, and soup. If your infant is breastfed, feed him or her more frequently.
- To reduce a fever, take acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol). Give no acetylsalicylic acid (ASA or Aspirin)-containing a drug to a youngster or teenager. If a child or teenager takes acetylsalicylic acid-containing drugs, they may develReye’s syndrome, a dangerous liver illness.
- The best approach to avoid chickenpox is to be vaccinated.
- In addition, avoid direct contact with ill people, wash your hands frequently, and stay at home if you’re unwell.
- All residents/clients with a possible/confirmed diagnosis of chickenpox should be isolated from other non-immune clients or placed in a solitary room until all vesicles have dried and crusted over. Because of the danger of varicella in immunocompromised residents/clients, this is recommended.