Chickenpox

Types of Infections & Treatments

About Chickenpox

What is Chickenpox?

Chickenpox is a disease caused by infection with the varicella zoster virus, which causes fever and an itchy rash. The skin rash would be blister-like lesions, covering the body but usually more concentrated on the face, scalp, and trunk. Most, but not all, infected individuals have fever, which develops just before or when the rash appears.

Complications like bacterial infection of the skin, swelling of the brain, and pneumonia may occur with Chickenpox. Adolescents and adults are more at risk for severe disease.

How Is Chickenpox Transmitted?

It is spread by coughing and sneezing, by direct contact, and by aerosolization of virus from skin lesions.

Why Should I Take The Chickenpox Vaccination?

Chickenpox can be prevented by vaccination. We recommend vaccination to anyone who is non-immune particularly those who are at risk for complications of Chickenpox.

Points to Note:

Laboratory diagnostic tests are not perfect and are not 100% accurate

  • We do not have a test for every disease or virus but most of those pathogens that are of public health importance or have long term implications on your health can be tested
  • No one single test can be used with absolute certainty to diagnose a disease. Often, we depend on a combination of tests to make a diagnosis
  • Sometimes, we have to resort to trial treatment or empiric treatment if investigative tests are inconclusive. If the patient makes a therapeutic response and feels better, we have achieved our goal
  • In PUO, we are looking for treatable causes and to rule out sinister causes eg. malignancies so that we do not miss opportunities for early treatment or intervention

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