Chicken Pox: Everything You Need To Know

Chicken pox is usually acquired through inhalation of airborne respiratory droplets of an infected host. It is largely a childhood disease with more than 90 percent of cases occurring in childhood. The disease is generally benign and self limiting in a healthy child.  However there is an increased risk of morbidity in adults and immuno compromised patients.

Clinical Features:

Chicken pox is usually diagnosed clinically based on the characteristic rash and successive crops of lesions.  The rash of chicken pox is found in all stages of development and healing in affected sites.

There is a prodrome of fever, malaise and nausea followed by the characteristic rash of chicken pox.  In children, chicken pox usually begins as itchy red lesions. Fluid filled blisters, also called as vesicles develop over a period of time. The stomach, face, back, hand and legs maybe affected. Over a period of time, the blisters as well as the red rash heals leaving behind crusts and scabs. New lesions and blisters continue to appear for several days. As a result, all 3 stages of the rash, i.e. bumps, blisters and scabs maybe seen in a single patient. The disease is usually self limiting and resolves over a period of time.

Treatment:

For most healthy patients with chicken pox, symptomatic therapy is all that is required.

• Trim the child’s finger nails to minimise scratching.
• Take a bath with warm water and apply moisturising cream.
• Paracetamol can be taken orally in case of fever.
• Calamine lotion and anti histaminics can help in reliving itch.
• Oral acyclovir or valcyclovir can be given.

Chicken pox is a benign self-limiting disease. It usually resolves without any complications. Complications are sometimes noted in adults and immuno compromised patients.

Palliative care and symptomatic treatment go a long way in managing this disease.