The Varied Faces of Chickenpox: From Kids to Adults

Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

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Chickenpox, also known as varicella, is an extremely contagious disease caused by the varicellazoster virus (VZV). Symptoms of chickenpox typically include fever, fatigue, headache, and loss of appetite, followed by an itchy rash of fluid-filled blisters. There is a common myth about chicken pox that it is not serious but unfortunately, it is not true. In rare cases, there have been reports of adult persons dying because of chickenpox infection.

Make sure to distinguish monkey-pox from chicken pox. Monkey-pox is an orthopoxvirus whereas Chicken pox is a herpes virus. In simple terms, the main difference is that chickenpox is more contagious as compared to Monkey-pox. Also, in monkey-pox, there are swollen lymph nodes whereas there is no such scenario in the case of chickenpox.

The available data suggests that chickenpox is still widespread in northern parts of India like Jharkhand, and outbreaks of chickenpox continue to occur in the unvaccinated rural population.

Chickenpox Symptoms: Recognizing the Signs 

Chickenpox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), which is transmitted through direct contact with the rash or inhalation of airborne droplets from infected individuals. The journey of chickenpox begins with subtle signs:

Early Stage: Fever, fatigue, headache, and loss of appetite appear 1-3 weeks before the rash.

Chickenpox Rash: The hallmark feature of chickenpox is the rash. Starting on the chest, back, and face, the rash then spreads to the whole body. It develops into itchy, fluid-filled blisters that eventually scab over.