What Is the Origin of Chicken Pox?

Chickenpox is a virus originating from a member of the herpes virus family, varicella-zoster. Although chickenpox is one of the most contagious classic childhood diseases, adults can also contract the virus. Itchy, fluid filled blisters that burst and form crusts are called pox. When infected with chickenpox, pox rashes usually appear 10 to 21 days later and a person can be contagious one to two days before seeing a pox breakout.

Cause

• The primary infection of varicella or chickenpox occurs in the respiratory tract. Once in the respiratory tract, the virus grows in the nasopharynx. Chickenpox can be spread by airborne transmission, droplet transmission or direct contact. The virus will usually remain in your body for an entire lifetime, but is controlled by the immune system. According to the National Library of Medicine, the virus can re-emerge when stress occurs and 1 in every 10 adults can experience an outbreak of shingles (similar virus caused by varicella, but most common in adults).

Symptoms

• Children developing chickenpox can act sick and initially have vague symptoms. Symptoms can include loss of appetite, tummy ache, a headache or fever occurring one or two days before breaking out with a pox rash. On average, a child can develop 250 to 500 pox rashes appearing first on the face, trunk or scalp and spreading to other parts of the skin. However, children with eczema or other skin problems may develop more than 1,500 pox rashes. Pox rashes can also appear on the eyelids, in the mouth and in the vagina.

Treatment

• In most cases, topical symptoms can be relieved by keeping children comfortable while allowing their bodies to fight the illness. An oatmeal bath in lukewarm water can provide a comfortable, crusty coating on the skin. Topical lotions and oral antihistamines can help ease the itching. Trimming the fingernails short can eliminate scratching the pox rashes and reduce scarring and secondary infections.

  Antiviral medicines have been developed, but they must be started within the first 24 hours of the pox rash to be effective. Antiviral medications can also be given to members of the same household of someone with chickenpox.

Possible Complications

• Aspirin should not be used by someone with chickenpox because it is association with Reyes syndrome. Other possible complications of chickenpox are pneumonia, transient arthritis, and myocarditis. Congenital infection of the fetus can be a risk for women who contract chickenpox during pregnancy. If exposed and the mother is not immune, newborns are at risk for severe infection. Although rare, encephalitis is a serious condition that can occur as a chickenpox complication.

Prevention

• Avoiding chickenpox is difficult because it is airborne and very contagious. Chickenpox or varicella vaccine can be used to prevent the virus or minimize symptoms, if contracted after vaccination. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, most people who get the chickenpox vaccine will be less likely to contract the virus. However, if chickenpox is later contracted by someone who has been vaccinated, the outbreak of pox rashes and symptoms is mild.