Associated symptoms of chickenpox

In addition to the characteristic skin rash, fever and fatigue are often present as accompanying symptoms of primary infection. Depending on the area of the body affected, the central nervous system may also be involved, with symptoms such as insecure gait and neck stiffness. Pneumonia can also occur in severe cases.

Infection with chickenpox during pregnancy is a special case. This can lead to malformations of the unborn child. The most frequent, but fortunately harmless, complication is hypopigmentation of the skin in the areas where the blisters become encrusted. In some cases, local scars are left behind.

Therapy of the rash of chickenpox

In the case of a benign course, only symptomatic therapy is usually recommended. This includes: – cooling the pustules, as heat increases the itching. – Trimming of the fingernails to prevent the pustules from scratching and thus prevent bacterial superinfections.

Scratching the blisters also increases the risk of scarring – antihistaminergic cream to suppress itching – paracetamol or ibuprofen, to treat fever [Attention! acetylsalicylic acid, aspirin, is contra-induced in children, as it can cause a so-called Reye’s syndrome, with severe neurological damage] Immunocompromised patients have a special position in therapy; they should always be treated with antivirals. Frequently used drugs are Aciclovir or Vidarabin. For children over 12 years of age without vaccination protection, drug therapy can be considered, provided that the outbreak of the exanthema occurred no more than 24 hours ago.

Duration of varicella infection

After an incubation period of about 10-20 days, benign patients show improvement after 3-4 days, with healing of the encrusted blisters. When scratching, however, it can lead to bacterial superinfections, for example, with Staphylococcus aureus, such complications delay the healing significantly. As a rule, the patient receives lifelong immunity after the infection has been overcome.

If the infection is particularly mild and progresses very early, the symptoms may flare up again. In about 20% of cases, however, a reoccurrence of the Varicella zoster infection in the sense of shingles can be observed.As a virus of the herpes virus family, Varicella Zoster Virus has the ability to persist in nerve nodes. On an unspecific stimulus, the virus can multiply again in old age, infecting sensitive nerves. A characteristic feature is the belt-shaped radiating skin rash and pain along the course of the sensitive skin nerves.