Chickenpox, also known as varicella, is a highly contagious infection caused by the varicella zoster virus. Although the symptoms are uncomfortable, most people recover within 1-2 weeks.
Chickenpox is a viral illness that causes a blister-like rash. The rash first appears on the face and trunk and then spreads throughout the body.
Among people who are not vaccinated, it is extremely contagious. Although chickenpox is not a life-threatening illness, it can sometimes cause complications.
Chickenpox is most commonly a childhood illness. Before the chickenpox vaccine was introduced in 1995, most people in the United States caught chickenpox as children.
Today, some vaccinated people can still get chickenpox, as well as some people who are unvaccinated or immunocompromised.
Those vaccinated people who still get infected may develop milder symptoms. This is called breakthrough chickenpox.
Chickenpox develops in stages. Before the rash appears, there may be:
After these symptoms, the following will happen:
Chickenpox symptoms in infected adults who did not get the disease as children may be similar to symptoms in children but they could be more severe. Those who are unvaccinated or immunocompromised are especially at risk.
Some adults
Adults are also more at risk for complications such as pneumonia.
The varicella-zoster virus (VZV) causes chickenpox.
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, and others.
There are more than 100 viruses in the herpesvirus family. They mostly affect the skin, mucus membranes, nerves, and tissues.
Chickenpox is one of the most infectious diseases. People who have never had chickenpox, have never been vaccinated, or have a compromised immune system are at the highest risk of infection.
Transmission happens through direct contact between people through coughing or sneezing, or by air.
VZV can also cause another condition known as shingles or herpes zoster. A person can also get chickenpox if they come in contact with fluid either from someone’s chickenpox or shingles blister.
The risks of contracting chickenpox and the development of complications are higher in a person with a weakened immune system.
A weakened immune system can
There is no cure for chickenpox, but it generally resolves within a week or two without treatment.
A doctor
The following are some treatments that may alleviate symptoms:
The following may also help prevent scratching:
A doctor
Acyclovir is one example of an antiviral medication that treats chickenpox. This works best if it is given within 24 hours of developing symptoms. It reduces the severity of symptoms but does not cure the disease.
There is no cure for chickenpox, but a vaccine is available for VZV. Today, the chickenpox vaccine is about
People should avoid close contact with people known to have chickenpox, avoid sharing objects with them, isolate any household members with chickenpox from others, and disinfect surfaces an infected person may have touched.
There are two types of the VZV vaccine:
Among unvaccinated people who develop chickenpox, a few people may have more severe symptoms. Adults are more susceptible to complications than children, but even in adults, they are rare.
Pregnant women, newborns, and infants up to 4 weeks old, as well as those with weakened immune systems, are more likely to experience complications.
If the following occurs, a person should contact a doctor:
People who are pregnant have a slightly higher risk of developing pneumonia from chickenpox. There is also a danger of passing the infection to the fetus.
If infection occurs during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy, there is a higher risk of congenital varicella syndrome. This can cause scarring in the fetus, as well as eye problems, brain drainage, and shortened arms or legs.
If the infection happens later in pregnancy, the virus can transmit directly to the fetus and the baby can be born infected.
If a person becomes exposed to varicella during pregnancy, it is important to talk to a doctor right away.
A doctor or nurse will know whether a child or adult has chickenpox by recognizing a person’s tell-tale rash and asking a few questions about their symptoms.
In cases when a person is not vaccinated and is not sure whether they have had chickenpox as a child, they can get a laboratory test to determine whether they did have the virus in the past.
People who have had chickenpox as children will not get the disease again. This is because they develop immunity to the virus. If a person who has been exposed to someone with chickenpox is not sure if they had the illness as a child, getting tested can help them know if they are at risk for getting the disease.
Another reason to get tested is to help a doctor distinguish the symptoms of chickenpox from other conditions with similar symptoms. One of those conditions may be shingles.
In some cases, a doctor may think that a person has shingles and not chickenpox. When a person has chickenpox and recovers, the virus stays in their body and becomes dormant. Later in life, in situations of low immunity, the virus can reactivate as shingles.
People who have active shingles cannot give other people shingles. However, they can infect others with chickenpox if those people have not already had the illness, are not vaccinated, or are immunocompromised.
Shingles affects a person’s nerves. Usually, people will experience an intensely painful rash that looks like a patch of raised dots and follows the path of a nerve on one side of the body. This may be on the face or the trunk of the body, but may also occur in other areas.
The rash may be itchy. In addition, a person may also feel stabbing pain. Later, the rash will turn into fluid-filled blisters that crust over within several days.
When a person gets shingles, they
Shingles can also cause postherpetic neuralgia, which is pain from shingles lasting for at least three months after the blisters have gone. It can also cause neurological problems affecting the brain, spinal cord, and facial nerves.
A doctor may suspect a person has shingles instead of chickenpox if the person has had chickenpox before, is over the age of 50, under a lot of stress, or if they are immunocompromised. These are factors that may put a person at a higher risk for the condition.
Learn more about shingles.
Chickenpox is a contagious illness caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) that causes a highly itchy rash. Historically, most people have gotten it in childhood. If people get it as adults, they may be at risk for more serious symptoms and complications.
Since 1995, most people in the U.S. have received a vaccine for chickenpox. There are two types of chickenpox vaccines, which usually are administered twice in a person’s childhood.
The vaccine prevents about 90% of infections in the U.S. Some infections may still occur among unvaccinated or immunocompromised people.
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Last medically reviewed on August 24, 2021
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