Chickenpox or just chickenpox - infectious disease of viral origin, which mainly affects children from six months to 10 years. An adult who did not suffer from this disease in childhood can also become infected, but Chickenpox in children is much easier to tolerate, without complications on other organs.

Almost every person will sooner or later suffer from this disease, since it is almost impossible not to become infected with chickenpox by contacting a sick person.

Characteristic signs of chickenpox are rashes on the body, oral mucosa and scalp, which initially take the form of red spots that soon develop into vesicles - small bubbles filled with clear liquid. If rashes appear on the palms and soles of the feet, it is worth taking a smear for analysis to diagnose enterovirus in a child whose symptoms are similar to chicken pox.

Since chickenpox is caused by a virus, treatment of the disease is aimed at relieving symptoms, but does not in any way stop the development of the virus and does not shorten the duration of the disease. fights the virus on its own and after recovery the child acquires lifelong immunity to this disease.

Do you get chickenpox twice? It is believed that immunity developed during illness prevents re-infection. But the virus remains alive in the human body even after severe stress and weakened immunity manifests itself in the form of herpes zoster. Although there have been exceptional cases when chickenpox appeared a second time, most likely this is an exception to the rule, or, for the first time, the child had a disease whose symptoms are the same as chickenpox.

How do you get chickenpox?

The virus that causes chickenpox is a type of herpes, it spreads well in external environment, carried by wind, draft from room to room, through ventilation pipes, but outside human body dies within 10 minutes under the influence of ultraviolet rays.

Chickenpox carriers are children and adults who have chickenpox. As a rule, the period of infection with chickenpox occurs en masse in winter and spring, when the child’s immunity is reduced and the body is most vulnerable. In kindergartens and schools, a chickenpox quarantine is often declared, but this does not protect children from the disease, since the peculiarity of chickenpox is that the period of contagiousness begins 2 - 3 days earlier than the first signs of the disease appear, and that part of the team manages to become infected. who had not been ill before.

At the same time, in order to become infected, it is not necessary to have contact with a sick person; it is enough to enter a room where a sick person is present, in the same way that chickenpox is transmitted by airborne droplets. This means that viruses from an infected person are carried through the air over a long distance, and if a healthy person is encountered along the way, they settle on his mucous membrane, thus penetrating the body. The incubation period for chickenpox from the moment of infection is from 10 to 20 days, during which time the virus manages to penetrate deep into the cells. A couple of days before the first signs of chickenpox appear - characteristic rashes on the skin, the period of chickenpox contagion begins. The adapted virus is released from the body along with saliva and breath, spreading everywhere.

The contagious period of chickenpox begins a couple of days before the first rash and ends five days after the last rash on the body. Pediatricians recommend that parents mark rashes on the body with brilliant green, firstly, this good antiseptic, secondly, this way the picture of the formation of new pimples against the background of old marks is clearer. If the child does not develop new papules and vesicles, it means that the virus has been defeated and after 5 days the chickenpox recedes and the infectious period ends.

Chickenpox in newborns is quite a rare occurrence, since babies up to six months have immunity passed on to them by their mother during gestation and during pregnancy. breastfeeding After six months, this immunity weakens, but, as a rule, such young children are not often in children's groups. The exception is families with older children, since in this case it is impossible not to get chickenpox.

Many parents are interested in whether chickenpox is transmitted through third parties or household items with which a sick person has been in contact? This option is absolutely excluded due to the low survivability of the virus in the external environment. So, when it gets on the mucous membrane of a person with acquired immunity to this disease, the active herpes virus simply dies under the influence of antibodies produced sometime during the illness, and since it is impossible to get chickenpox a second time, it is impossible to become a carrier of the virus.

How many times do you get chickenpox? The herpes virus causes chickenpox once in a lifetime; the same virus can appear again in the form of shingles, affecting the nerve endings.

How does the disease progress?

After contracting chickenpox incubation period, during which the disease proceeds covertly without manifesting itself in any way, lasts about two weeks. After which the virus begins to actively multiply in cells, releasing toxins, which manifest themselves as symptoms of chickenpox in children - rash on the body accompanied by fever. The herpes virus affects the papillary layer of the epidermis, causing its detachment, thus, chickenpox has the first signs in the form of pinpoint redness of the skin. On the second day, red spots - papules fill with liquid and form vesicles - unstable bubbles, when they burst, a crust forms, causing a burning sensation. During this period it may return to normal. Chickenpox, the symptoms of which in addition to rashes and fever are accompanied by diarrhea, vomiting, runny nose and other uncharacteristic manifestations, can be a complicated disease. this is the reason for immediate hospitalization of the patient.

After the first vesicles begin to dry out, a second wave of virus activity occurs and the child may develop new rashes that are smaller in number and size, since the body is already producing antibodies that reduce the activity of the virus. Thus, on one area of ​​the skin, you can see rashes of various nature from red papules to drying crusts from a burst vesicle.

The entire period of how long chickenpox lasts, which is at least 10 days from the onset of the first rash, as well as 2 weeks after recovery, when the crusts from pimples on the body disappear, it is necessary to maintain the patient’s hygiene and prevent scratching of the vesicles. Such measures are simply necessary to avoid the consequences of chickenpox in the form of joining bacterial infection. If this does happen, the course of the disease becomes more complicated, and antibiotics are added to the list of necessary drugs to fight bacteria. When a child scratches a rash, in addition to the risk of infection, there is another negative factor, since scars after chickenpox can remain for life and only with age acquire less intense pigmentation.

Types of chickenpox

Depending on the course of the disease, its symptoms and possible complications chickenpox can be divided into two types:

• Typical shape, which is classified by severity as mild, moderate severity and heavy.
• Atypical form– hemorrhagic, gangrenous, visceral, rudimental, bullous, pustular.

A typical mild form of chickenpox goes away without special complications and high fever, skin rashes that cause itching for the child are the only manifestation of the disease, although can there be chickenpox without rashes?

Chickenpox of moderate severity manifests itself in intoxication of the body, body temperature rises to 38.5 degrees, the child may have a fever, weakness, rashes become widespread and affect the mucous membrane oral cavity. When they burst, the bubbles that have ripened on the mucous membrane turn into eczema and cause a child to have a sore throat with chickenpox. Such complicated chickenpox has consequences in the form of chickenpox pneumonia and laryngitis.

Chickenpox in children under one year of age can be severe and accompanied by profuse rashes, critical temperatures, as well as atypical symptoms - vomiting and nausea associated with severe intoxication body. The duration of the disease in this case increases, and the likelihood of complications is also high.

Atypical forms of chickenpox are quite rare phenomena, are characterized by inconsistency of symptoms or the absence of any of them, as well as an uncharacteristic rash, which may contain blood or vary in size. In order to know everything about chickenpox, let's take a closer look at each episode of atypical chickenpox.

1. Hemorrhagic chickenpox. It is observed with poor blood clotting. This type of chickenpox in children has a shortened incubation period and when the rash appears, you may notice bruises on the body. When the vesicles mature, they contain ichor mixed with blood; blood may also be present in feces and vomit. The danger with this form is that it can happen internal bleeding with fatal outcome.
2. Visceral form is extremely dangerous for the life of a child, as it manifests itself in children under one year old or with very reduced immunity. Characteristic symptoms– rashes on the mucous membranes, as well as on the internal organs of the child.
3. Bullous form characterized by special rashes - bullae with a dense surface, large sizes and clear outlines. Inside the bullae are filled with purulent contents, and when they burst and heal, they leave scars after chickenpox.
4. Rudimental chickenpox- the mildest of the forms and types of chickenpox, which is tolerated with minimal rashes, and the shortened period of its occurrence is not overshadowed by an increase in body temperature.
5. Gangrenous form can develop as a complication of hemorrhagic and is accompanied by necrotic tissue damage and large purulent ulcers and eczema with the addition of a bacterial infection.
6. Pustular form characterized long period rashes that are persistent and over time the liquid in them becomes mixed with pus. When pustules burst, they leave scars on the skin in the form of craters that heal over time, forming scars.

If any manifestation or symptom is atypical for chickenpox, you must inform your doctor or call ambulance, as in children atypical forms chickenpox develops rapidly and may have serious consequences. In this case, it occurs only in the hospital infectious diseases department.

Caring for a child during chickenpox

In the first days, when the child may experience fever and weakness, doctors recommend bed rest. In subsequent days, when the child can be taken out for a walk, while limiting his contact with other children, there is no need for bed rest. On the contrary, if freedom of action is limited and the baby is in bed, the baby will scratch and pick off the crusts of healing chickenpox rashes, which can lead to infection. To prevent this from happening, children should cut their nails short, and infants should wear cotton mittens to prevent scratching.

Another way to prevent scratching is to distract your child, read him a book at night, or tell him an interesting story.
Many parents are interested in questions related to caring for their child during chickenpox:

1. When can you wash your child after chickenpox? Until recently, it was believed that the adoption water procedures contributes to the spread of infection throughout the body, but this is not entirely true. Chickenpox rashes cause the child to itch, and poor body hygiene doubles these sensations and promotes the growth of bacteria on the child’s skin, which is a direct threat various complications. When can you wash after chickenpox? necessary not only after recovery, but also during illness, giving preference to a warm shower. For chickenpox in children, Dr. Komarovsky recommends washing the child boiled water room temperature, adding a decoction of celandine or chamomile, which not only soothe the skin, but are also a natural antiseptic.
2. How long is chickenpox contagious? Chickenpox ceases to be contagious on the fifth day after the last episodes of skin rash. This period is also equal to 10 days from the moment the first papules appear.
3. When can you go for a walk after chickenpox? Walking on fresh air the child is not prohibited during the illness, when the temperature subsides, however, in order not to infect other children, the child should not appear in places large cluster people.
4. Is chickenpox contagious? during the period when dry crusts from numerous vesicles remain on the child’s body? Residual effects in the form of dry crusts do not contain the active herpes virus and are not dangerous to others. Within 10 - 15 days they disappear, leaving pigmented spots on the skin, which soon disappear.
5. Is it possible to get chickenpox twice? This is excluded; the virus that causes chickenpox lives in the human body throughout his entire life and can manifest itself as a cold on the lips during hypothermia, or shingles on the lower back and abdomen.

Prevention of chickenpox

Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease that can be prevented by vaccination. After vaccination, a person acquires immunity that lasts for 20 years. For this reason, there are many opponents of this method of preventing the disease, since there is a one hundred percent chance that after the vaccination ends, a person will not become infected with this disease. And since in childhood Since chickenpox is mild, it is believed that it is better to have it once without complications.

Chicken pox is familiar to many adults and children.

And the most pressing question that confuses many is: chickenpox - how many days can it be contagious before and after the rash.

Chickenpox is often considered a childhood disease, but it happens that the disease also affects adults upon contact with the patient. This is possible if the person has not previously had chickenpox and is not immune to the virus that causes the disease.

This disease is transmitted very quickly. Therefore, in those places where one case was recorded, quarantine is immediately declared. First of all we're talking about about kindergartens and schools. The disease spreads extremely rapidly, since the virus that causes chickenpox quickly penetrates the body of a healthy person, and after that the incubation period begins. The disease becomes noticeable only after a few days, and sometimes weeks. At the same time, for a certain period the person will be dangerous to others. In this case, many are interested in the question of how many days chickenpox is contagious.

The virus that causes chickenpox in the human body is from the herpes family. It is quite tenacious and spreads incredibly quickly in a home or apartment. Therefore, at the first signs of chickenpox, the patient must be immediately isolated. Otherwise, everyone around you who does not have immunity to the disease will definitely get chickenpox.

A person almost never gets chickenpox twice, and this is a huge advantage of such a disease. If you get chickenpox once, then in the future a person will have immunity to a specific type of herpes for the rest of his life. That is, the body will be reliably protected from re-infection. The only exception may be a significant decrease in the functions of the immune system. This happens in cases where a person has to deal with various serious diseases. In patients with cancer or HIV, as well as in those undergoing chemotherapy, recurrence of chickenpox cannot be ruled out. But in this case the disease will not be severe. This applies to all patients: both children and adults.

Important! It is worth noting that chickenpox is much easier to tolerate if you have it between the ages of 1 and 10 years.

Late infection can lead to the disease progressing in an aggressive form and with severe complications. However, the period for how many days chickenpox is contagious does not differ in adults and children. Many people try to protect themselves from chickenpox by vaccination. It is done once in a lifetime and can reduce the risk of the virus entering the body. But vaccination cannot completely protect a person from the disease. However, vaccination ensures that the disease will not be severe.

How to tell if someone has chickenpox

To protect yourself from the virus, you need to know how long chickenpox is contagious after the rash, and, of course, during this entire period, stay away from the source of infection, that is, from a sick person. Chickenpox is easily transmitted through airborne droplets. The virus lives for a long time indoors, and outdoors it can spread over a distance of about 20 m.

In this case, a person becomes dangerous to others even before he is accurately diagnosed with chickenpox. After contact with a sick person, a virus that belongs to the herpes family enters the body of a healthy person. Then the incubation period begins, after which the person becomes a carrier of the infection. In this case, rashes may appear a little later. It is then that the question arises of how contagious chickenpox is after the rash.

Typically, a sick person can start spreading the virus 2-3 days before a rash breaks out on their body. This is the main sign of chickenpox, by which the disease is diagnosed, but at this moment the person is already very contagious to others.

If a person who does not have immunity to the chickenpox virus has been in contact with an infected person, he needs to carefully listen to his health. To figure out how many days chickenpox is contagious, you need to understand the course of the disease. For the first 3-7 days there may be absolutely no suspicious symptoms. This period is called incubation. After this, the person begins to experience body aches and increased fatigue. This condition lasts approximately 2 days. At this time, the patient is already a source of infection, and it is better for him not to communicate with healthy people.

Only after 2-3 days a characteristic rash will appear on the human body. Initially, these will be small reddish spots; they quickly inflate into bubbles, which burst and become crusty. This is a complete cycle that each element of the chickenpox rash must go through. At this time, as a rule, there is a very high temperature. It is believed that at the time when a person is actively developing rashes on his body, he is most contagious. Chickenpox may have no other symptoms.

It must be remembered that during chickenpox, not only the fluid that is released from acne wounds is contagious, but also the air exhaled by the patient. That is, it is not at all necessary to come close to a person and touch his body in order to become infected with chickenpox.

And yet, it is precisely at the stage of active rash that a person is considered the most dangerous to others. The rash associated with chickenpox is very unusual. It can be in the form of single pimples on the body or affect the patient’s entire body with numerous blisters - it all depends on the form of the disease. Children usually get sick mild form chickenpox, which is why this disease is called childhood. The chickenpox virus is very difficult for adults to transmit. With an aggressive form of chickenpox, a person must strictly observe quarantine. But most often it doesn’t work out any other way, because large number the rash is always accompanied by a very high fever reaching up to 40 degrees.

Important! As for how many days chickenpox is contagious from the moment of rash, with a mild form of the disease this period lasts about a week.

The severe form takes much longer to resolve, so the patient will be a carrier of the virus for about 3 weeks.

Quarantine during chickenpox

When it comes to a disease such as chickenpox, the period for which chickenpox is contagious after the rash will largely depend on the state of the immune system of the particular patient. That is, even an adult can suffer from a mild form of the disease if he has good immune system.

At the same time, quarantine measures, as a rule, last the same amount of time. As a rule, only children's educational institutions are closed for quarantine. Adults are simply sent on sick leave without closing the entire organization where they work.

As for children, they usually suffer from a mild form of chickenpox. Therefore, mainly in kindergartens and schools, quarantine due to chickenpox is announced for 2 weeks. This time is enough for all children to recover from chickenpox and come to the group or class completely healthy and not dangerous to others.

For an adult, quarantine measures will be individual. That is, it all depends on the decision of the doctor, who knows how contagious chickenpox is after the rash, and when his patient becomes absolutely safe for other people. The minimum period during which an adult should be on sick leave if he is diagnosed with chickenpox is 2 weeks. But everything will depend on the state of the immune system and the patient’s well-being.

Adults are quarantined for an average of about three weeks. But there are also exceptions. We are talking about patients with impaired immune system function, as well as older people and pregnant women. Patients from these categories may become much more seriously ill, and the virus will be very dangerous for them. In this case, it is not very excluded serious complications. In patients with immune problems, chickenpox can occur in a latent form and appear as a rash on internal organs. This is very dangerous, as the rash can cause injury. internal organs and even lead to death.

Considering the danger that the chickenpox virus poses to patients with problematic immunity, they need all possible ways avoid infection. Pregnant and elderly people who have not previously had chickenpox should avoid contact with infected people; to do this, you should know how many days chickenpox is contagious after the rash. It can be especially dangerous hidden form chickenpox. It cannot always be easily diagnosed, but during this period a person will be a carrier of the virus, just like ordinary chickenpox patients.

A person who has been in contact with someone with chickenpox should monitor their health very carefully. Most likely, the virus will enter the body, since chickenpox is very contagious. But at first, when the incubation period passes, the disease will not be transmitted to others. During this period, the virus cells will actively multiply in the body of their victim. But, as soon as the first signs of illness appear, which are sometimes similar to the symptoms of ARVI, you need to take care of quarantine and isolation of the patient. At this time, the disease can already be transmitted to other people.

If we talk about how many days chickenpox is contagious after the rash, it should be noted that in final stage disease, this period depends on how active the disease will be in the human body. As a rule, the patient is considered fully recovered after all the scabs have fallen off. That is, approximately 5 days before a person becomes completely safe for others, he should stop developing new rashes. If it can be difficult to accurately determine the period of onset of the disease due to the lack of clear symptoms of the disease, then with the end of the contagious period everything is simple. Thus, regarding the question of how long chickenpox is contagious after the rash and before it, a person with chickenpox is considered dangerous 3 days before the rash appears and 5 days after the end of its appearance.

How can you get chickenpox?

IN dangerous days When a virus operates in the human body, the patient becomes a powerful source of disease. Moreover, already in the first days, when the patient just begins to feel weakness and increased fatigue(sometimes completely minor), it will be contagious. That is, any person without immunity to this strain of the virus, who is in the same room with a sick person or not far from him on the street, can easily become infected.

In such situations, those most at risk are older people and pregnant women who have not previously had chickenpox. They can become infected in public transport or at the clinic. Here, the chickenpox virus is easily transmitted from one person to another. Therefore, in crowded places you should wear a protective mask. There is no such thing as too much security.

Chickenpox can be contracted at any time of the year. But statistics show that the most dangerous periods are spring and autumn. At this time, a person may suffer from a lack of vitamins and a decrease in the functions of the immune system. As a result, the body becomes maximally susceptible to any disease, including chickenpox. The most unpleasant time to suffer from chickenpox is summer. Hot weather takes its toll on your skin, which can cause your skin to sweat a lot and your rashes to itch more than usual.

Why should you be afraid of chickenpox?

Many people think that chickenpox is a very simple childhood disease, from which there will be no harm to the body. In fact, such statements are only partly true. The whole point is that if a child suffers the disease, then it will be mild and there should be no complications. Several pimples on the body, which after treatment with brilliant green will quickly pass, and not a trace will remain of them, as well as a couple of days elevated temperature- this is all that in most cases patients between the ages of 1 and 10 years face.

But everything is much more complicated when it comes to adults. The period itself, how contagious chickenpox is in adults, will largely depend on the immune system. As you age, the risk of getting a severe form of chickenpox becomes very high. And among the most harmless complications are unsightly scars that remain after numerous blisters cover the patient’s body. But the patient may encounter acute laryngitis, chickenpox croup, viral pneumonia, manifestations of rheumatism, as well as damage to internal organs. If the disease is severe, a rash may appear not only on the surface of the body, but also inside. This is very dangerous as it can damage the liver, heart muscle, kidneys and lungs. Sometimes, if the immune system cannot cope with the virus, it can also affect the central nervous system. Such patients experience seizures, impaired coordination of movements and brain function. The development of encephalitis and meningitis cannot be ruled out.

Important! Especially topical issue there will be safety for expectant mothers.

The chickenpox virus can cause the development of pathologies in the fetus, which often become incompatible with the life of the child.

This suggests that adults who have not had chickenpox should be very careful. They should not come into contact with sick people; for this, it would be useful to know how long chickenpox is contagious after the rash. This applies not only to those with a severe form of the disease, but also to patients with a mild form of chickenpox. In any case, there will be only one virus, and how it manifests itself in the body of a particular person depends solely on the state of his immune system.

Chicken pox - viral disease, to which people of different age categories. As the pathology develops, the human body produces antibodies that prevent the person from becoming infected with chickenpox again. In a child who suffered pathology at the age of 4-5 years, with proper treatment Complications rarely occur.

For how many days is the patient a source of infection, and what measures should be taken to prevent an epidemic of chickenpox?

The virus is transmitted through airborne droplets and poses a real threat to people who have not had chickenpox before. Features of the disease are that:

Formations from the moment of appearance until complete disappearance go through several stages:

• Many bright pink spots 2-4 cm in size appear on the scalp and face. Later, rashes will be found on the arms, legs, back, chest, and abdomen;
• after a few hours, the formations turn into papules, and those, in turn, into vesicles. They are single-chambered, have dense edges that rise above the skin. There is a bubble inside, which bursts after ripening. The liquid contains a huge number of viral cells;
• the wet part dries out within 1-3 days, crusts form on the surface of the vesicles. They will disappear in 2-3 weeks. At the site of the sores, pink spots remain, which in a child disappear without a trace after 1-2 years, and in adults they can remain on certain parts of the body (face, shoulders, neck) in the form of tiny scars.

In children, the incubation period of the disease is on average 2 weeks, and in adults – 16 days.

How long is chickenpox contagious?

Stages of the disease	Symptoms
The incubation period is 10-21 days, of which 1-3 last days the patient can infect other people with chickenpox	The disease at this time is asymptomatic and only 1-2 days before the rash may cause mild malaise (in children), fever and increased body temperature (in adults)
The active period of the disease, accompanied by the formation of bubbles and their drying out - the period takes 5-9 days	At this time, the child experiences a slight deterioration in health (weakness, lethargy), slight swelling lymph nodes in the neck; adults experience body aches, nausea, headache
The time that passes from the moment when new elements of the rash stop forming and the old wounds dry out is about 5 days	Unpleasant symptoms disappear, all that remains is severe itching at the site of healing skin formations

Total: 11-14 days a sick person is a source of infection for other people.

Due to the fact that chickenpox is easily transmitted by airborne droplets and can cause a real epidemic in preschool and school institutions, the patient is isolated from healthy peers and quarantined for several weeks.

How to calculate the day from which chickenpox ceases to be contagious?

Among adults, only isolated cases of chickenpox are recorded. This fact is very simply explained - at the age of 5-7 years, 70-80% of people suffered chickenpox. Due to the fact that in childhood it occurs without complications, some parents do not prohibit their child from contacting a sick peer. Is it right or wrong - controversial issue. But, in any case, parents bear full responsibility for what is happening to their child.

Professor of Medical Sciences E.O. Komarovsky advises not to stop lubricating the red spots on the patient’s body with brilliant green. The brilliant green solution is excellent at drying out weeping small ulcers, but the main advantage of its use is that you can accurately determine the day from which the recovery period begins.

How does this happen? Each new element of the rash is smeared with brilliant green. As a result, the patient’s body is replete with green “marks” and the newly formed vesicle is not difficult to detect upon careful examination. From the moment “fresh” blisters stop appearing on the skin, the period of remission begins. After 5 days from this starting point, the patient ceases to be a carrier of the infection.

Treatment

In order to shorten the “dangerous” period during which the virus can be transmitted to a healthy person, doctors prescribe therapeutic measures, including:

The question is whether it can be taken during illness warm baths based on soothing decoctions remains controversial. Some doctors are inclined to believe that warm solutions relieve itching well, and to prevent the infection from spreading throughout the body, you should not rub the skin with a towel - you can only blot wet areas.

Baths are considered beneficial:

• without the use of soap and detergents;
• with the addition of decoctions of string, calendula, St. John's wort;
• with stirring a small amount of potassium permanganate in water (the liquid becomes slightly pink in color and has a drying and disinfecting effect).

It is advisable to review your eating habits during illness. Food should be light and low in calories. A sufficient amount of fluid (at least 2 liters per day) helps speedy recovery, since toxins and impurities are washed out with the liquid.

Conclusions

From the above, the following points should be remembered.

Video - Chickenpox

Chickenpox is a highly contagious and common childhood infection. To understand how this disease is transmitted and how it differs from other viral diseases, every mother should learn more about the causative agent of chickenpox. What kind of virus is this, what is its resistance to the external environment and is it related to herpes viruses?

Chickenpox and herpes viruses - are they the same thing or not?

Chickenpox is caused by a virus called Varicella Zoster in both children and adults. Due to the fact that in adulthood this virus causes a disease called herpes zoster, some confusion arises. In fact, the occurrence of herpes on the lips or genitals is provoked by a completely different virus. It is called Herpes simplex or virus herpes simplex, which comes in two types - 1 and 2. At the same time, the Varicella Zoster virus is a herpes virus type 3.

However, all these viruses can be called “relatives”, since both the herpes simplex virus and the Varicella Zoster virus are representatives of a large family of herpes viruses.

It turns out that herpes on the lips or genitals is caused by a virus similar to chickenpox in its structure, but it is a completely different pathogen.

Chickenpox virus and herpes virus have a visual difference

Herpes simplex viruses and the causative agent of chickenpox have a lot in common:

• They are DNA-containing viruses, the structure of which consists of a core and a capsid (an envelope consisting of capsomeres).
• The Herpes simplex virus enters the human body in the same ways as the chickenpox pathogen - mainly by airborne droplets and contact.
• When entering the body of a vulnerable person, all herpes viruses attack the mucous membranes and skin, and then penetrate the nervous tissue, remaining in the body for many years.
• Antiviral drugs, effective against Herpes simplex, also inhibit the Varicella Zoster virus, therefore they are used for severe course chickenpox.
• Both types of viruses can affect the formation of the fetus, causing serious pathologies and miscarriage.

Regarding distinctive features the causative agent of chickenpox, then, despite the same family, the virus of chickenpox and herpes zoster provokes acute infection, leaving behind lasting immunity. At the same time, the infection caused by Herpes simplex is chronic, and immunity to such a virus is not formed.

How long does it live in the human body and beyond?

Having penetrated the child's body once, the chickenpox pathogen remains in the human body for life. He resides in nerve tissue in an inactive state and in 10-20% of adults over 45 years of age, it provokes the appearance of herpes zoster.

At the same time, the persistence of the Varicella Zoster virus outside the human body is very low. Its destruction in the air and indoors is facilitated by the rays of the sun, temperature changes, disinfectant solutions. Because of this, on outdoors The chickenpox pathogen can remain for only 10-15 minutes. That is why cases of transmission of such an infection through third parties and objects practically do not occur.

At the same time, the chickenpox virus is characterized by its rather high volatility - it can fly tens of meters from a sick person with particles of mucus. For this reason, residents of the same apartment building or children in the same apartment can become infected with chickenpox. kindergarten even from different groups.

If a sick child is in the same room with healthy ones, only 5-10 minutes are enough for the virus to be transmitted to susceptible children, especially those with weakened immune systems.

The chickenpox virus is transmitted quite quickly by airborne droplets, but when in the open air, without contact with a person, it also dies quickly

How to distinguish chickenpox from enterovirus infection

Majority viral infections It begins the same way with an increase in body temperature and other symptoms of malaise. Therefore, it is quite difficult to distinguish them from each other at first.

In addition, at enterovirus infection There are some similarities with chickenpox:

• Children aged 3-10 years are most often affected.
• In the first 6 months, babies are protected by their mother’s antibodies.
• The pathogen enters through the mouth and upper respiratory tract.
• The body temperature of a sick child rises.
• Children experience weakness, headaches, drowsiness, and vomiting.
• Possible damage to the mucous membranes of the eyes.
• Congenital forms occur if the mother became infected during pregnancy.
• Such infections are treated mainly at home, and hospitalized in case of complications.
• Children are isolated during illness.

For precise setting diagnosis, you should consult a specialist

The main differences between the causative agents of these infections and the course of the diseases are presented in the table:

Chicken pox	Enterovirus infection
Caused by a DNA virus of the herpes virus group.	Caused by RNA viruses - polioviruses, Coxsackie viruses and ECHO viruses.
The virus quickly dies during disinfection and remains outside the human body for only 10-15 minutes.	Viruses are resistant to conventional disinfectants and can remain outside the human body for a long time.
The disease is transmitted mainly by airborne droplets.	Besides airborne transmission, there is also an entero-oral route and transmission through water.
The source of the disease is only a child with chickenpox.	Pathogens can also be transmitted from healthy people(virus carriers).
The incubation period averages 14 days (can last from 7 to 21 days).	The average incubation period is 2-5 days (can last from 1 to 10 days).
The most characteristic clinical manifestations are a blistering rash and high body temperature.	The clinical picture of such an infection is often nonspecific and is represented by fever, as well as inflammation of the upper respiratory tract. Some children may develop a pink maculopapular rash that lasts for several days and disappears without a trace.
In most children, the infection is mild.	A large number of erased forms are noted.
Once the infection has been transmitted, it forms a strong immunity (they rarely get sick again).	Immunity after illness is serospecific (only to the type of virus that caused the infection).
There is a vaccine that is widely used to protect against chickenpox throughout the world.	There is no vaccine because pathogens come in many serotypes.

Chicken pox under the age of 10 years is tolerated quite easily and after the illness forms a strong immunity to this infection

Enterovirus can manifest itself repeatedly and at any age, occurring in mild or severe form.

For more information about chickenpox and herpes, see Dr. Komarovsky’s program.

For information about the differences between chickenpox and herpes zoster, which is expressed in the form of rashes along the intercostal nerves, see the program “Live Healthy.”

Chickenpox is a viral disease that is highly contagious. The virus is transmitted by airborne droplets and transplacentally (from a pregnant woman to the fetus). In order to catch this disease, it is enough to stay in the same room with the patient for just a few minutes; it is for this reason that chicken pox can cause entire epidemics.

Chickenpox symptoms

Chickenpox is easily diagnosed. Distinctive feature of this disease are its symptoms:

Rash

It can cover the entire body, even the mucous membranes of the mouth, eyes, and genitals; in severe cases, it can affect internal organs. Pimples turn into blisters in one day; after two days they become much larger and resemble drops of water. After another same period of time, the liquid becomes cloudy, and the pimple begins to dry out, turning into a crust, which disappears after more than 1 week from the moment of its formation.

Itching

It comes in different intensities. This symptom is very dangerous, the patient cannot tolerate the terrible itching and provokes scratching, which can leave scars and scars, and also, such wounds carry the threat of becoming a gateway to infection and causing serious complications.

Fever

Body temperature can rise even before the rash appears, ranging from 37.5 to 39.5 ° C.

Headache and loss of appetite

The patient is in a state of depression and complains of headache, weakness. There is no appetite at this time.

Features of the development of chickenpox virus, incubation period

The causative agent of chickenpox is the herpes zoster virus. It is unstable in the external environment and dies from exposure disinfectants, UV and high temperatures.

Optimal conditions for the pathogen of this disease- This is an enclosed space, residential heated premises. In them, the virus retains its vital activity for up to several hours. Being in the same room as someone who has chickenpox makes it almost impossible not to become infected.

The rapid spread of the virus is due to its volatility. The causative agent of this disease, Herpes zoster, is capable of covering distances of up to 20 m, passing through ventilation systems and residential channels. Outbreaks of epidemics occur most often in the autumn-winter period. The virus is well tolerated low temperatures, freezing and thawing processes.

The incubation period is the time period of the disease from the entry of the pathogen into the body until the appearance of the first symptoms of the disease. With chickenpox, it lasts from 10 to 21 days and is divided into 3 stages:

1. First – the onset of a disease, which is characterized by the entry of the virus into the body and its adaptation processes in a favorable environment.
2. Second – intensive development and reproduction of Herpes zoster with its subsequent localization in epithelial cells mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract.
3. Third - the virus enters active action, spreading throughout the body, the first symptoms of the disease appear. At this stage, antibodies are produced. An active battle with the “uninvited guest” begins, that is, everyone becomes active biological mechanisms that can protect the body from infection.

Chicken pox is very insidious disease. It has a fairly long incubation period, so it is difficult to determine when and where the infection occurred. This fact also contributes to the development of chickenpox epidemics.

Spread of the virus and routes of transmission of the disease

The main risk group for chickenpox infection is children over 2 months of age. Adults get sick less often, but their illness is much more severe, often with serious complications. After recovery, the patient develops stable immunity from this disease for life, but, unfortunately, reinfection It is still possible, although it is very rare. The chickenpox virus can be transmitted again by people with very weak immunity. These are HIV-infected people, people who have undergone organ transplantation operations and are severely weakened by serious illnesses.

Chickenpox is transmitted in two ways:

Airborne

The carrier of the virus breathes, sneezes, talks, and at the same time secretes environment droplets of mucus containing the pathogen. It is absolutely not necessary to have direct contact with a sick person, since the chickenpox virus is very volatile and spreads well with air flows from apartment to apartment, from floor to floor, etc. This disease gets its name from this feature.

Transplacental

The virus is transmitted from a pregnant woman to her fetus. This is very dangerous, because in this case they can develop severe forms of this disease, such as hemorrhagic, bullous or gangrenous. Such a course of events can lead to disability of the child.

Regarding infection through contact and household methods, there are still some disputes and contradictions. The virus can settle on household items, but it is too unstable in the external environment and dies quickly.

The patient becomes contagious from the first days of asymptomatic chickenpox and sometimes until the last dried crust falls off. At the first symptoms of the disease, you should consult a doctor and isolate yourself from society for two weeks so as not to become the cause of an epidemic.

Chickenpox treatment and preventive measures

None of the symptoms of chickenpox cause such discomfort as itching, which provokes scratching. Wounds should not be allowed to appear at the site of acne, since these wounds can become a path for more penetration into the body. terrible infections. Scratching during illness is strictly prohibited.

It is difficult to explain to young children that they should not itch and what their actions may entail. negative consequences. It is better to sew mittens for them from light, natural fabric and put them on their hands so that the children cannot harm themselves and, for the same reason, be sure to cut their nails.

Pimples must be treated with brilliant green or potassium permanganate. To reduce itching, you can wipe the blisters with vinegar and water. The mouth should be rinsed with decoctions of chamomile and calendula. This disease is characterized by dehydration, for this reason the patient should be given plenty of fluids to drink. Chemicals, antibiotics, immunoglobulins, etc., are used exclusively as prescribed by a doctor.

A patient with chickenpox should wear loose clothing made from natural fabrics, preferably cotton. She and bed linen should be changed daily.

The entire period of illness must be quarantined, communicate only with a limited number of people, and bed rest to avoid overwork and complications.

WITH for preventive purposes You can get vaccinated against chickenpox, but it only provides temporary immunity from the disease. Avoiding infection with chickenpox is quite difficult. A gauze bandage does not provide any guarantee that the virus will not enter the body. Also, people may not always realize that they have contact with a carrier of the disease, since in the first period of time chickenpox is asymptomatic.

Hospitalization is carried out only if complications occur (encephalitis, nephritis, myelopathy, etc.). In other cases, treatment is carried out at home.