Chickenpox

Chickenpox is a highly contagious, but mostly preventable, viral infection that causes an itchy rash. At Atrium Health Floyd and Harbin Clinic, our doctors help people with chickenpox feel better. We also provide the varicella vaccine to prevent chickenpox.

What is chickenpox?

Chickenpox is a contagious viral infection that causes a red, blistering, itchy rash. Both children and adults can get chickenpox. It mostly affects people who haven't had the chickenpox (varicella) vaccine.

Causes of chickenpox

The varicella-zoster virus, which is part of the herpesvirus family, causes chickenpox. Chickenpox is highly contagious. After infection, you can start spreading the virus to others one to two days before you develop a rash. You remain contagious for about one week until all chickenpox blisters break open and form crusty scabs.

Chickenpox spreads by:

• Breathing in saliva or mucus droplets that get airborne when an infected person sneezes or coughs
• Having skin-to-skin contact with someone who’s infected
• Touching an infected person’s chickenpox blisters or fluids from their eyes, nose or mouth

Chickenpox symptoms

Signs of chickenpox typically appear two to three weeks after you are exposed to the virus. Before the rash appears, you may have a fever, headache or stomachache.

You then develop up to 500 rash blisters. The itchy blisters may:

• First appear on your face, scalp or abdomen
• Spread to other parts of your body, including eyes, genitals and inside your mouth
• Be filled with a milky, cloudy fluid
• Break open
• Scab over and become crusty

Chickenpox diagnosis

Your health care provider can diagnose chickenpox by looking at the rash. In rare instances, you may get a blood test to check for the varicella-zoster virus.

Chickenpox risk factors

People who have never had chickenpox or the varicella vaccine are most at risk. This includes infants younger than 1 who are too young to get the vaccine.

Most people develop lifelong immunity to chickenpox after vaccination or infection. Still, it’s possible to get chickenpox more than once. You can get chickenpox even if you have been vaccinated, but symptoms are usually mild.

Complications of chickenpox

Most healthy people recover from chickenpox without serious complications. Complications can include:

• Pregnancy complications: Pregnant people who get chickenpox have a higher risk of developing pneumonia. The infection also increases the risk of having a baby with birth defects or low birthweight (less than 5.5 pounds).
• Scarring of the skin: Scratching or picking at the lesions can cause scarring.
• Shingles: After you have chickenpox, the varicella-zoster virus stays in your body. It can become active again, causing a painful condition known as shingles. Also called herpes zoster, shingles most commonly occurs in adults, but kids can get it too.

Chickenpox prevention

Getting the varicella vaccine is the best way to prevent chickenpox. For full immunization, you need two doses of the varicella vaccine.

Most children get the first dose between 12 months and 15 months old. They receive the second dose when they’re between 4 and 6 years old. People 13 and older who have not been vaccinated and never had chickenpox can get both doses, as long as they are at least 28 days apart.

Chickenpox treatment

Chickenpox goes away on its own. But your provider may prescribe an antiviral medication if you’re at high risk for complications. These medicines minimize symptoms and shorten the length of the illness. They work best when taken within 24 hours of the first signs of a rash.

Certain actions can help ease discomfort from the itchy chickenpox rash, such as:

• Applying over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream on lesions
• Soaking in a lukewarm, colloidal oatmeal bath
• Taking an oral over-the-counter antihistamine drug
• Wearing cool, light, loose clothing that doesn’t irritate the skin