It is an infection caused by a virus. It causes an itchy rash with small fluid-filled blisters. It is highly contagious to people who haven’t had the disease or been vaccinated against it.
Th blister rash appears 10 to 21 days after exposure to the virus and usually lasts about 5 to 10 days.
Pathogen of chickenpox
Pathogen : pox virus (varicella-zoster virus)
This is an extremely contagious virus that belongs to the family of herpesviruses that also include herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, Epstein-Barr virus….etc
There are more than hundreds of viruses in the herpesvirus family. Most of them affect skin, mucus membranes, nerves, and tissues.
Mode of transmission
- Mode of transmission : through contact or through scabs
🔸By saliva(kissing or shared drinks)
🔸By air
🔸By skin to skin contact (handshakes or hugs)
🔸By touching a contaminated surface
🔸By mother to baby by pregnancy, labour nursing.
Incubation period
- Incubation period : 14-20 days
Symptoms of chickenpox
- (i) Fever, headache and loss of appetite
- (ii) Dark red-coloured rash on the back and chest which spreads on the whole body. Later, rashes change into vesicles.
- (iii) After few days these vesicles start drying up and scabs (crusts) are formed.
- (iv) These scabs start falling (infective stage)
Complications of chicken pox
- •Bacterial infection of skin
- •Pneumonia
- •Inflammation of the brain (encephalitis).
- •Toxic shock syndrome
- •Dehydration
- Prevention and cure :The chickenpox vaccine is a safe, effective way to prevent chickenpox and its possible complications.
Preventive measures of chickenpox
The following steps help to prevent scratching:
- keeping fingernails clean cut and as short
- placing mittens or even socks over a child’s hands when they go to sleep, so that any attempt at scratching during the night does not cut the skin
- wearing loose clothing and underwear
(i) The patient should be kept in isolation.
(ii) Clothings and utensils, used by the patient should be sterilised with petrol or any other disinfectant.
(iii) Fallen scabs should be collected and burnt. One attack of chicken pox gives life long immunity to the person recovered from this disease.
DIET FOR ALL SKIN DISEASES
Including All Skin related Diseases,Also Chicken Pox,Herpes Zoster etc:-
AVOID NON-VEG, EGGS, WHEAT PRODUCTS, CHENA, VAZHUTHARANGA(brinjal), Cabbage, Radish, Drumsticks &its leaves, pineapple, Jackfruit, mango(both ripe &non-ripe)ETC. Its applicable to Chicken Pox or even Herpes Zoster&All Skin complaints, only from My experiences.
Avoid Gardening work&Plucking Flowers etc also especially in Allergic Complaints.
Sponging the whole body(Even not wiping or bath) is better during the period ,because, thats enough to avoid unnecessary complications in some patients.These are not myths, just to avoid other complaints during the 1 to 2 weeks of the course of Chickenpox or even 1 month in Herpes Zoster etc.Nothing wrong to be cautious to avoid complications.Have seen lots of cases worsening severely after taking bath during the course of the disease, also because of undigestible heavy foods.