5 Major Symptoms Of Chicken Pox

Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease caused by the Varicella Zoster virus (VZV). It is primarily an airborne disease and spreads very quickly through coughing, sneezing and direct contact. It starts with fever and a blister like skin rash on your body, which eventually develops to form raw and itchy pockmarks and vesicles. The incubation time is 2-3 weeks from infection to outbreak. Chicken pox occurs more commonly in children than in adults.

The disease is much more aggressive in adults. An advantage of having contracted the disease once is that, you will not contract the disease again, as your body produces anti-bodies against the virus. This property of chickenpox prevents the disease from recurring. Chickenpox usually affects immunocompromised adults and children. It has a high secondary attack rate, i.e. transmission from one person to another occurs very quickly.The signs and symptoms of this disease are well known and easily identifiable. Here are the symptoms mentioned below.

* Generalized Symptoms

These generalized symptoms occur before the appearance of the rash, which is the hallmark of this disease. They include sore achy muscles, headache, nausea and loss of appetite. Oral sores might also occur at this stage.Low grade fever and fatigue occur next, which might be the signs of development of chickenpox. In children, the rash, characteristic of chickenpox appears before these symptoms and facilitates early diagnosis.

* Exanthema (External) Symptoms

The visible red rashes or spots then develop to form small blisters and these blisters erupt all over the body. There are intense burning and itching sensation at this blister stage. Fluid filled vesicles burst and crust over. There is a high risk of superseding bacterial infection, which leads to the formation of ulcers and scars. It might be complicated by the occurrence of the common cold. Since the immune system is compromised in this period, there is a major chance of it developing into pneumonia if it is not treated immediately. The person suffering from chicken pox is very contagious and this high risk remains till the scabs dry completely.

* Loss of Appetite

Loss of appetite and loss of weight are usually associated with the incubation period of chickenpox.

* Fatigue

Another common symptom of chicken pox is the feeling of fatigue and general malaise. This is more common in the period of active rash formation due to increased viral load.

* Vomiting

Nausea and vomiting are some of the other symptoms of chicken pox. Generally, kids below the age of 12 are the prime victims of this symptom.