General transmission and disease
First disease: The varicella zoster virus is very easily transmitted when chickenpox is present. The viruses are highly contagious and often trigger small epidemics, for example when the disease has broken out in a kindergarten. The pathogens are transmitted via droplet infection, which makes it very easy to infect and spread.
For children, chickenpox is a harmless disease that disappears through spontaneous healing, i.e. it is fought off by their own bodies. Immunity against varicella (chickenpox) is developed after a single outbreak of each child, which rules out the possibility of recurrence. However, the viruses do not disappear: in the so-called virus ascension, the pathogens migrate along the nerve pathways to the deep-seated nerve nodes and remain there for the rest of their lives.
From there, they can trigger a secondary infection in the form of shingles or remain forever as a silent infection. Secondary infection: After the initial infection, a resting or latency phase follows in which no signs of viral infection are noticeable. Due to the weakening of the immune system, the remaining viruses can multiply again and cause a new noticeable infection – shingles.
The blueprints for the antibodies against the virus are stored for a lifetime and can be called up quickly when reactivated.This leads to an abrupt mass production of these, which largely prevents the virus from spreading. Only very rarely a third disease occurs, which would otherwise also manifest itself as shingles. If a pregnant woman suffers from shingles, this means that she is already immune to the varicella zoster virus.
This can be due to chickenpox or a vaccination. There is no increased risk for the child or the expectant mother. Since zoster only breaks out in immunocompromised patients, i.e. people with a weakened immune system, various complications can occur, as with all shingles.
But even these are rare and therefore mostly irrelevant to the health of the child. Contact with people who currently suffer from shingles is also harmless. Infection by the viruses already present in their own bodies is unlikely, as this is only possible through direct contact with the wound fluid of the blisters.
And even in the case of infection, the pathogens are once again automatically fended off by the rapid activation of the immune system. Since people who have not yet had contact with the varicella zoster virus cannot develop shingles, the link between pregnancy and shingles must be established via a third person. Some women are not yet immune to the virus during their pregnancy, which in such cases is often a surprise, and they have not been vaccinated or survived an illness. Now shingles begins to become dangerous: if the pregnant woman comes into contact with the contents of the fluid-filled blisters, she can become infected – but not with zoster, but with varicella, the chickenpox. Chickenpox can be dangerous for both adults and fetuses and can cause serious complications.
