The so-called "Turkish chickenpox" caused by the Koksaki virus is an infectious disease. Its causative agent belongs to the family of enteroviruses that reproduce and live in the human gastrointestinal tract. These viruses enter the environment with excrement, so most infections are observed in summer and autumn. Indeed, it is during this period that frequent pollution of water and soil with feces occurs.
Disease in a child
Children like 3-10 years old are susceptible to such a disease as Turkish chickenpox. Infection in most cases occurs at the age of 4-6 years. Coxsackie virus is most common in temperate countries.
Infants up to six months are practically immune to this infection, as their mother’s antibodies are present in their blood. They are transmitted to the child through the placenta in the process of fetal development. The duration of their activity is on average 6 months, which explains the baby’s immunity to many diseases during this period.
Antibodies are still partially transmitted to the baby during breastfeeding. After suffering "Turkish chickenpox" the baby does not gain sufficient immunity. Therefore, with the subsequent penetration of the virus into the body, it can be infected again, however, the disease itself will proceed in a milder form.
How does the disease occur in adults?
"Turkish chickenpox", as mentioned earlier, is found in most cases in young patients due to their lack of antibodies to pathology, but even an adult can become infected with this disease. For elderly patients, such an infection is a huge danger. In older people, the Coxsackie virus can provoke the occurrence of complications such as:
- myocarditis;
- paralysis;
- encephalitis;
- diabetes mellitus and pericarditis.
Specialists counted about 29 serotypes related to Koksaki enteroviruses. This infection is usually divided into groups A and B. The first type of virus is less dangerous. When infected, the patient develops red plaques on the skin around the mouth, lower and upper extremities. In this case, local therapy helps to quickly get rid of wounds.
The second type of virus can cause intestinal infection, fever, diarrhea in a patient. In addition, it can affect the heart muscle and respiratory tract. The disease is in most cases asymptomatic.
Virus infection routes
"Turkish chickenpox" (Koksaki) is transmitted during contact with the patient. A small patient becomes infected with the other child almost always. The virus can penetrate the body in the following ways:
- airborne droplets (from an infected child);
- Alimentary (through dirty household items and hands).
To prevent infection, it is necessary to avoid crowds, observe hygiene and completely exclude communication with sick children. If you notice that the child raised a dirty object during a walk, you should disinfect it well and wash his hands to reduce the risk of a dangerous pathogen entering the body.
Upon infection with this virus, the patient initially has a high fever, loss of appetite, a feeling of fatigue, pain in the throat and cough. The duration of this incubation period is 1-2 days. Sore spots in the oral cavity develop a few days after the onset of fever and develop into small papules. These rashes during the disease can burst.
Symptoms in children
The main symptoms of the disease in young patients include:
- temperature increase up to 39 degrees;
- the formation of small painful rashes in the oral cavity, on the legs, face and hands of the crumbs;
- sore throat;
- vomiting and diarrhea.
Turkish chickenpox is often called the disease "arms-legs-mouth." It is on these parts of the body that painful sores occur. At the early stage of the disease, pale pink spots form, which later develop into vesicles (vesicles). After their appearance, the child is worried about severe itching, the rash in appearance resembles chickenpox. Rashes burst and turn into painful sores. The condition of the sick baby improves with a favorable course of the disease after about a week.
In some cases, in babies 2-3 weeks after recovery, detachment and severe fragility of the nail plate are observed. Specialists cannot explain this phenomenon yet, however, according to statistics, mostly ill children suffer from this.
The "chickenpox" lasts 2-5 days, during the illness the appetite worsens and general weakness appears. Enterovirus fever, many people become infected during the rest of the sea. Such pathology does not require special treatment.
"Turkish chickenpox", the symptoms of which in different babies may manifest in different ways (it all depends on the type of virus), may still be accompanied by severe headaches.
Other signs of coxsackie virus infection
In adults, "Turkish chickenpox" is much less common than in children. Symptoms of the disease in them are as follows:
- Heat, fever and chills.
- Inflammation of the eye mucosa and conjunctivitis.
- Muscle pain, especially in the upper torso.
- Vomiting and loose stools.
- Rashes on the legs and arms or redness of the skin.
In some cases, "Turkish chickenpox", the photo of which is presented in the article, leads to the development of myalgia or Bornholm disease. With the disease, bouts of muscle pain are disturbed with an interval of 1-2 hours. Most often they occur in the upper body: intercostal muscles, neck and chest. Similar attacks can be repeated for several days, after which the disease recedes. With the atypical form of the Koksaki virus, pericarditis, myocarditis, mesadenitis, encephalitis, as well as inflammation of the appendages and ovaries can develop.
Coxsackie Virus: stages of the disease
"Turkish chickenpox", the incubation period of which is 4-6 days, is especially dangerous in summer and autumn. After all, the virus that causes the disease feels comfortable in a humid environment. Its particles accumulate in the small intestine or on the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx.
At the first stage, getting rid of the "Turkish chickenpox" is much easier. An infected child is prescribed antiviral medication.
At the second stage, the infectious agent penetrates into the blood, it rapidly spreads throughout the human body through the bloodstream. One part of the viruses remains in the intestines and stomach, the other settles in the muscles and lymph.
At the third stage, pathogens, having penetrated one or another organ, damage its cells, causing an inflammatory process in it. During the last stage, immunity is activated, T-lymphocytes begin to kill uninvited guests.
"Turkish chickenpox" and "Russian" - is there any difference?
The Coxsackie virus, as you know, belongs to the family of enteroviruses, and chicken pox - to herpes viruses. It should be remembered that with the syndrome of "hand-foot-mouth" rash on the scalp does not occur, this distinguishes the disease from ordinary chickenpox.
To make sure the diagnosis is correct, it is better to pass the necessary tests. The doctor takes a smear from the nasopharynx from the patient for confirmation and analyzes the feces. The resulting samples are then examined by PCR to detect the virus genotype. What else you need to pass tests, the doctor will tell you based on the available symptoms of the disease and general condition.
Turkish chickenpox: treatment
The first thing to do when you become infected with this ailment is to take general measures, including taking vitamin complexes, maintaining bed rest and drinking enough fluids.
If the child is worried about itching during the illness, then appoint Viaton Baby or Fenistil. To relieve sore throats and eliminate rashes in the mouth, various antiseptics are used. To get rid of unpleasant symptoms faster, you can rinse your mouth with furacilin.
Bubbles on the skin are recommended to be treated with ordinary brilliant green in order to avoid the development of bacterial infections. “Ibuprofen”, children's paracetamol, “Nurofen” or “Cefecon” will help get rid of headaches and reduce fever. Analgin with such a disease should not be given.
In case of violation of the stool and vomiting take "Rehydron". When the disease is severe, antiviral drugs may be prescribed. In some cases, the patient is prescribed medications based on interferon, in other words, immunomodulators. To accelerate metabolic processes, they use nootropic drugs, as well as vitamins B1 and B2.
Antibiotics for Turkish chickenpox are not used, since they are ineffective against viral infection. They can be prescribed to a small patient only in order to avoid bacterial complications. With proper treatment, the child feels better after 3 days. The rash goes away after 10 days, and the sores disappear after a week.
How to avoid infection?
In order not to become infected with the Coxsackie virus, you must:
- drink only purified water;
- wash hands thoroughly after going to the toilet or walking;
- always process boiled vegetables and fruits.
Keep your home clean. Do not forget to immediately throw away personal hygiene products (wipes, diapers, pads) after using them.