Chickenpox, or, as they say, chickenpox is a fairly common and uncomplicated disease. However, in the absence of proper treatment, pathology can cause complications that can damage the nervous system and lead to irreversible processes in the body.
By the way, the chickenpox virus in the medical world is called "Varicella-Zoster." This is a very distant "relative" of herpes that appears on the lips or genitals.
Despite the fact that smallpox is considered a childhood disease, since about 80% of all children suffer from it, the latest statistics indicate that the disease begins to “grow up”, that is, children from 15 years old are already at risk and they account for about 10% of cases. In fact, the older a person is, the harder it tolerates the effect of the virus on the body, the more severe the symptoms and consequences.
Classification
Chickenpox encephalitis is a very rare complication after chickenpox. Approximately 1 case per 10 thousand patients occurs. To date, the following classification of encephalitis is distinguished:
Title | Symptoms and consequences |
Preluminal | In this case, encephalitis develops long before the first symptoms of chickenpox appear. This type is considered the least favorable. The child may stop talking and pay attention to any irritants. According to statistics, in 16% of cases, this type of pathology becomes the cause of the development of epilepsy, partial paralysis or hyperkinetic syndrome. In addition, such a child, in the future there is a great risk of contracting shingles due to the fact that the virus has fixed in the body. |
Early | Symptoms of encephalitis appear along with symptoms of chickenpox. This type of pathology also has an unfavorable prognosis for recovery. |
Late or post-leukemic | This pathology is not a consequence of infection with the brain virus, but only an allergic consequence. Simply put, in this way the body responds to the inflammatory processes that chickenpox causes. The symptomatology of encephalitis manifests itself at the moment when the wounds are healed by a “crust”. This type has a better prognosis for recovery. |
Symptomatology
As a rule, children who have not reached the age of one year do not suffer from chicken pox at all. Symptoms are mild, and the disease goes away very quickly. This is due to the fact that the child still consumes breast milk, and with it, antibodies enter the body. Problems may occur in those children whose mothers did not have smallpox or herpes zoster. But, even in such situations, the risk of getting chickenpox encephalitis in children is minimal.
The greatest risk of encephalitis in a child is from the second to the seventh day, while chickenpox lasts. It is at this point that the rash is actively spreading and the body temperature rises.
Along with smallpox symptoms, symptoms of chickenpox encephalitis in children are manifested, namely:
- lethargy and severe weakness;
- headache;
- disorientation (the child may even rave);
- vomiting
- cramps
- loss of consciousness.
In some cases, even focal lesions appear:
- paresis;
- inappropriate behavior;
- facial asymmetry;
- inability to swallow.
As a rule, if treatment has begun on time, then the symptoms will quickly disappear.
Symptoms of a late form of the disease
If the child has post-leukemic encephalitis, then the disease can be characterized by the following symptoms:
- pyramidal syndrome;
- hyperthermia;
- convulsive or coma;
- signs of meningitis or cerebral edema.
Course of the disease
If on the second day after the onset of chickenpox, the child has convulsions, then we can say with almost complete certainty that chickenpox encephalitis has begun.
If we are talking about the acute form, then cerebral disorders begin (headache, dizziness, vomiting, etc.), up to the development of hemiparetic syndrome. Praxis and speech impairment may occur.
Myelitis syndrome (inflammation of the spinal cord) is very rare, which is more common in older children. From the beginning of the regression to the end of encephalitis, it can take from 4 to 6 weeks.
The subacute period can be characterized by a shaky gait and impaired coordination, trembling in the limbs.
At the slightest symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor. Although the risk of death is not very great, but it still exists. It should also be understood that even after treatment of the pathology, convulsions and hyperkinesis may occur for some time.
Adult disease
Despite the fact that chickenpox is considered a childhood infectious disease, if in childhood a person did not get this disease, then this will happen already in more adulthood. In such cases, smallpox and encephalitis occur with very severe symptoms.
Concomitant disease with smallpox can be not only chickenpox encephalitis in adults, it can be myocarditis, pneumonia, nephritis. Encephalitis most often develops against the background of allergization of the whole organism. Simply put, this may be the direct effect of the virus on the brain or an allergic reaction of brain tissue to the presence of the virus.
Encephalitis in adults often begins from 5 to 20 days from the onset of smallpox. In the brain, there may be foci of necrosis, and even minor hemorrhages. It all starts with a general malaise and a rapid increase in body temperature. There may be a violation of consciousness and convulsions. High body temperature can last for 10 days. In such situations, all therapeutic measures are carried out exclusively in a hospital setting.
The secondary form of encephalitis appears already at the stage when smallpox is on the decline, but another infection is joining it. Symptoms with this form can be very diverse, but in most cases it is necessarily accompanied by a high body temperature.
Diagnostic measures
As a rule, based on the symptoms, it can already be understood that chickenpox encephalitis has begun. However, under any circumstances, additional diagnostic methods will be assigned, in particular, this:
- sampling and examination of cerebrospinal fluid;
- serological analysis;
- MRI of the brain, although the data from this study can only show the presence of an unsharp asymmetry of the lateral ventricles;
- brain tissue sampling;
- electroencephalogram;
- virological analysis.
General treatment
The main drug that acts in the treatment of chickenpox encephalitis is Acyclovir or similar medications. This is an antiviral drug that is available in the form of tablets or injectable solutions. In some cases, corticosteroids and immunoglobulins may be included in therapy.
For desensitizing measures, potassium preparations, prednisone are used. Hormone therapy can also be carried out, which is based on a gradual reduction in the dose of the drug.
Antihistamines are also used in treatment, it can be "Suprastin", "Diazolin" or "Tavegil".
To avoid dehydration, Diakarb, Glycerol, or Furosemide can be prescribed. Vitamin complexes are also included in therapeutic measures. If a child or an adult has severe overexcitation, sedatives may be prescribed.
Adult treatment
Symptoms of chickenpox encephalitis are not much different from the pathologies that are inherent in children. In light of this, the treatment is also practically no different, except that there may be large doses of medications.
The main thing is to observe bed rest, even if treatment occurs at home. You need to drink a lot of warm drink. You can also make lotions of chamomile on wounds to prevent the penetration of another infection. Also, after taking a shower, you should not wipe yourself with a towel so as not to damage the integrity of the formed “crusts” on the wounds. The main thing is to remember that you can swim only after 3 days from the moment the last bubbles dried up.
Forecast
In the vast majority of cases, the effects of chickenpox encephalitis in children after a certain time completely disappear. But this is if we are talking about an allergic form. If the nervous system is affected, then hyperkinesis, epilepsy persists in 15% of patients. About 10% of cases are fatal.
If we talk about the consequences of chickenpox encephalitis in adults, then we can talk about the formation of pathologies associated with the spinal cord. In addition, skin sensitivity, delay in bowel movements and urination can increase. Some patients develop muscle weakness.
Prevention
The best prevention is the lack of contact with a sick person. According to statistics, if contact with a sick child is prevented during the first two hours, the risk of infecting other children is almost completely absent. Full isolation is recommended for nine hours.
The patient, both an adult and a child, becomes absolutely not contagious to other people as soon as a crust appears on the last bubbles. Smallpox usually does not leave scars if no other infection has joined the virus during activation.
In addition to vaccination against chickenpox, no other preventive measures against varicella encephalitis exist.