What is chickenpox?
Chickenpox is a disease caused by the varicella zoster virus. The virus is highly infectious and is transmitted by droplet infection. It can be transmitted several meters above the air, hence the term chickenpox.
After the infection, usually in childhood, the affected person receives lifelong immunity. In 20% of cases, however, shingles can occur after years due to the virus remaining in the body. In this case the virus spreads along sensitive nerve fibres and causes a belt-shaped rash. Even a simple chickenpox infection shows small, red, itchy pox in the course of the disease, in addition to symptoms such as fever and general malaise.
Causes of the rash of chickenpox
The rash caused by chickenpox usually begins about 14 days after infection. It is characterized by small, red, itchy spots that develop into blisters with clear fluid within a few hours. After one or two days the blisters burst and become crusty.
The cause of the blistering is the multiplication of viruses in the skin. To be more precise, the first viremia occurs after the infestation of the mucous membranes by a droplet transfer. The virus enters the vessels of the skin via the blood.
There it attacks the cells around the vessels, the so-called endothelial cells. The virus begins to multiply in the endothelial cells. To stop this multiplication, the body’s own immune system reacts by sending inflammatory cells, which is reflected in the form of a skin rash.
. To be more precise, the first viremia occurs after the infestation of the mucous membranes by a droplet transfer. The virus enters the vessels of the skin via the blood.
There it attacks the cells around the vessels, the so-called endothelial cells. The virus begins to multiply in the endothelial cells. To stop this multiplication, the body’s own immune system reacts by sending inflammatory cells, which is reflected in the form of a skin rash.
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