What is Chickenpox

Chickenpox is a viral disease that is familiar to everyone. Almost everyone has had it, especially children and adolescents. It is also a contagious disease. As long as one person in the class gets chickenpox, almost everyone in the class will suffer. However, according to rumors, everyone will only get chickenpox once in their lifetime, and once you have had it, you will not be infected by the chickenpox virus again.

Chickenpox is an acute infectious disease caused by primary infection with the varicella-zoster virus. The infection rate is high. It mainly occurs in infants and young children, and is characterized by fever and the appearance of large numbers of systemic red maculopapular rashes, blisters, and scabs. It is more common in winter and spring. It is highly contagious and can be transmitted through contact or droplets. The incidence rate in susceptible children can reach over 95%, and it is more common in preschool children. The clinical characteristics are the appearance of maculopapular rashes, blisters and crusts in batches on the skin and mucous membranes, and the presence of rashes in different stages at the same time. The disease is a self-limiting disease, and the patient can obtain lifelong immunity after the disease. However, the infection may recur after many years and cause shingles.

Chickenpox is highly contagious. The patient is the only source of infection, and the infectious period is generally from 1 to 2 days before the rash appears until the herpes is completely scabbed. Immunodeficient patients may be contagious throughout the course of the illness. Children may also develop chickenpox if they come into contact with someone with shingles, as the two have the same cause. The main transmission routes are respiratory droplets or direct contact.

The incubation period of the disease is 12-21 days, with an average of 14 days. The onset is acute, with mild to moderate fever and rash. The rash first occurs on the scalp and compressed parts of the trunk and is distributed centripetally. During a period of 1 to 6 days

During the rash period, the rash appears in batches one after another. The skin lesions evolve from small red maculopapular rash → pararash → symptomatic rash → shedding, and no skin scars are left after shedding. The scar stage is painful and itchy. If secondary infection occurs due to scratching, it may leave mild scars.

dent. Weak people may develop high fever, and about 4% of adults may develop disseminated varicella and varicella pneumonia.

The above is an expert’s introduction to chickenpox. It is a fairly written introduction and may not be fully understood by people in the medical field. But at least it allows everyone to understand what chickenpox is, what causes it, and how the chickenpox virus is transmitted. Let us better understand chickenpox.