Varicella

• Varicella (chickenpox)
  • Primary infection during childhood
  • Lasts 6 days in immunocompetent persons
  • Transmission
    • Highly contagious
    • Airborne transmission
    • Incubation period 2 weeks
  • Clinical features
    • Lesions covering the entire body
    • Severe pruritus
    • Macules -> papules -> vesicles with erythematous base -> crusts
      • All of these stages are present simultaneously, which is a hallmark for the disease
    • Fever
  • Virus remains latent in sensory ganglia
  • Diagnosis
    • Clinical -> characteristic rash
    • Tzanck smear, PCR
  • Treatment
    • For pruritus
      • Calamine lotion
      • Pramoxine gel
      • Oral antihistamines
    • Therapy
      • Only for severe cases or high-risk groups (adults, immunosuppressed)
      • Acyclovir
      • Post-exposure prophylaxis
        • Active immunization (vaccine)
        • Passive immunization (immunoglobulins)
  • Prevention
    • Vaccination
  • Complication
    • Bacterial superinfection
      • Impetigo
      • Phlegmon
    • Scarring
    • Congenital varicella syndrome (if chickenpox during pregnancy)