Chickenpox (chickenpox) is an infectious disease. Herpes virus causes it. Chickenpox is mainly affected by children and adolescents up to 12 years old, but in some cases adults (up to 45 years old) also suffer from it. Is the manifestation of chickenpox in a mild form?
Causative agent of the disease
The causative agent of chickenpox is the herpes virus. He cannot stay in the environment for a long time. The virus dies within 10 minutes under the influence of the sun, high temperatures and ultraviolet rays.
It is easily transmitted from person to person, because it has the ability to quickly move in space. In some cases, children develop chickenpox in a mild form, the symptoms of which will be described later.
In children or people who have not had it before, the probability of infection is 100%. After the disease, a person develops a stable immunity, and the virus in an inactive state remains in the body for life. With diseases that cause weakening of the immune system, and with stress, an adult may experience shingles.
Chickenpox infection routes
Chickenpox in a mild form (photo below) is quite common in children.
Getting under the influence of chickenpox viruses is easy. Main the source of danger is a sick person. The microorganism has the ability to move in air at different distances in a short period of time. Sources of the spread of the disease are:
- a sick man;
- indoors;
- dry air.
Infection is carried out indoors by airborne droplets. The patient secretes viruses in saliva. It usually spreads microorganisms during coughing and sneezing.
In this way, chickenpox infection occurs in kindergartens, schools and other crowded places. An epidemic does not occur in institutions, because the bulk of adults have had this disease at an early age. After all, even in childhood, they came across chickenpox, and persistent immunity developed in the body. Most often, infection occurs in the fall, winter and early spring.
In some cases, mild chickenpox symptoms are observed in adults.
In newborns up to 6 months old, antibodies are found in the blood, which were transmitted to him by his mother, who previously had this disease. After recovery, 97% of the population have strong immunity to chickenpox.
The incubation period of the disease
Chickenpox has a long incubation period, which ranges from 7 to 21 days. After this period, symptoms characteristic of this disease occur. How is chickenpox mild?
The initial period for all forms of the disease is similar. Once in the body, the virus initially strengthens on the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract and begins its adaptation, as well as reproduction in the body. After accumulation, it enters the patient’s blood.
When a certain concentration of viruses occurs in it, the response of the immune system begins in the form of a reaction: high fever, weakness and headache. This condition can be observed within 1-2 days and is called the prodromal period. After it, rashes characteristic of chickenpox begin to appear on the skin.
Symptoms of chickenpox
What are the manifestations of chickenpox in a mild form? After a latent period of the disease, its sharp and rapid development begins. First appears:
- general weakness;
- raising the temperature to 38-39 degrees;
- lack of appetite;
- headache.
A rash appears along with these symptoms. In some cases, there is an increase in lymph nodes.
Rashes with chickenpox initially appear in the form of spots of red color, having a size within 2.5 mm. After a while, they fill with yellowish liquid, itch and deliver unpleasant moments to children.
After two days, the bubbles with the liquid begin to burst, then they dry out, and a crust forms on them. At the site of the rash, pigmentation forms, which disappears after a while. If you comb the wound, then a small scar may appear in its place.
A rash can occur not only on the body, but also on the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose and external genitalia. Rashes are found on the skin of the head, back, lower and upper limbs, abdomen.
New acne appears on the body every 2 days, after some time several types of them can be noticed on the patient’s body: nodules, vesicles and crusts. The number of rashes for the entire period can vary from 200 to 300 pieces.
Chickenpox forms
The disease by the nature of the course is:
- Lung. How does the mild form of chickenpox proceed? In this case, the patient's condition is assessed as satisfactory, the temperature is within normal limits or rises to 38 degrees. Rashes last about 4 days, and their number is insignificant.
- Average. Headache, weakness, fever (above 38 degrees), rashes in large quantities about 5 days.
- Severe. Nausea, vomiting, temperature above 40 degrees, profuse rash for 9 days.
Mostly chickenpox is manifested in children in a mild form, a photo of the rash can be seen in the article.
This is due to the absence in children of diseases that weaken the immune system. When a child does not have pathologies of a chronic nature, he eats a balanced diet, then chickenpox will pass easily. The baby will feel some irritation due to a rash on the skin. You can reduce the effect of this symptom if you follow all the doctor's recommendations.
Features of chickenpox in a mild form
The disease in a mild form occurs in children under 7 years of age. Infants who are breast-fed rarely get chickenpox because they have antibodies to this disease (if the mother herself got it).
With a mild form, the child feels as usual: cheerful and active. However, it must be protected from contact with other children, since chickenpox is infectious.
What does chickenpox look like in mild form? Signs of a mild form are: weakness, dizziness, a single rash that can occur both on the body and on the mucous membranes. If the child does not comb them, then they will dry on the 2-3rd day. If the infection gets into the wounds, then the healing process can stretch from 14 to 21 days. Then the crusts will fall off and small scars will remain on the skin.
Symptoms of the disease in adults
In adults, a mild form of chickenpox (photo below) is either absent or extremely rare. This is due to the fact that they have chronic diseases or bad habits. Typically, chickenpox affects a weak spot in the body - an organ susceptible to damage.
In this case, you may experience:
- laryngitis, bronchitis;
- heart failure;
- myositis, arthritis;
- nephritis, hepatitis.
Such complications arise not only in children and adolescents, but also in infants with weakened immunity. Influences of the virus are infants up to 6 months of age who are breast-fed and do not have antibodies to it. In this case, the doctor prescribes special treatment.
A severe form of the disease is usually associated with a bacterial infection.
Disease treatment
How is chickenpox in mild form and its treatment? When all the symptoms of the disease have minor signs, then special therapy will not be needed. The doctor will not prescribe antiviral drugs, but will only prescribe funds to reduce itching and prevent an allergic reaction.
In order for the patient's body to fight viruses, the following is necessary:
- light diet, including dairy and vegetable dishes;
- plentiful drink in the form of compotes or fruit drinks;
- walk in the fresh air if there is no temperature;
- lubricate the rash after bathing with zinc oxide.
Treatment of rashes with "Brilliant Green" is not carried out, because its effectiveness has not been proven.
After detection of the last pimple, the patient will be considered contagious for another five days.
When walking, the disease can not be transmitted to healthy people. When the virus enters the open space within 5-10 minutes, it is destroyed. He is afraid of sunlight, high temperatures and heat.
The herpes virus is not transmitted to third parties through toys or household items.
The correct behavior of parents with chickenpox in children
When chickenpox occurs to children bed rest is necessary . Due to the infectious nature of the disease, the child is isolated from contact with other children.
Be sure to treat the rashes with the drugs prescribed by the doctor. To do this, use a concentrated solution of potassium permanganate or cream "Acyclovir".
In case of illness, patients must observe the rules of hygiene: change bedding and underwear more often. You can take a shower.
Even with symptoms of chickenpox in a mild form and passing without an increase in temperature, you need to follow a drinking regimen. Drink should be in small sips. Indeed, together with urine, toxins come out of the body, which helps the patient recover faster.
The child should be provided with dietary food with the exception of foods that may cause an increase in the number of rashes. Food should mainly consist of vegetable and dairy dishes.
Disease complication
With proper treatment and personal hygiene, complications of the disease occur in rare cases. Its most serious course occurs with suppuration of the rash, when pathogenic microorganisms enter it. In this case, the wounds are treated with antibacterial ointments.
Complications arise in children:
- with oncological diseases;
- first year of life;
- with pathologies of the immune system.
In such cases, children develop atypical chickenpox with intoxication of the body, with the development of sepsis and damage to the lungs, liver, kidneys, and digestive tract organs. A child can be diagnosed with viral pneumonia and inflammation of the brain.
In adults, the disease is complicated due to the lack of special attention to it. The danger in such patients is the occurrence of inflammatory processes that affect the internal organs. Sometimes a bacterial infection also joins this process.
The most common complications in adults:
- tracheitis, pneumonia;
- difficulty in eating due to rashes in the mouth;
- encephalitis, meningitis;
- heart and vascular diseases (myocarditis and thrombophlebitis);
- genital inflammation in men and women.
To avoid complications, antiviral treatment should be started as early as possible.
Chickenpox Prevention
To prevent the disease in children, vaccination is used. It is performed for babies over 1 year old. The vaccine protects the body of the child from the disease for 10 years. Sometimes vaccinated children get sick, but the disease is mild.
The introduction of the vaccine is necessary especially for women who plan to become pregnant in the near future. Emergency prevention can also be carried out if contact has been made with the carrier of the disease. To prevent the development of chickenpox, the vaccine should be given within 48-72 hours after that.
Chickenpox is a disease that requires a correct and competent approach to treatment, even with its mild form. Only in this case, the patient will quickly recover and there will be no complications.