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)