Chickenpox is a highly contagious infection that most often occurs during childhood. Most cases of such a disease are noted in children from 2 to 7-10 years old, since their susceptibility to the pathogen of chickenpox (Varicella Zoster virus) is the highest. However, this infection is common in infants, adolescents and adults. And the older a person is, the more dangerous chickenpox is for his health.
As a rule, children tolerate chickenpox easily, and the moderate form is less common. In many babies, the general condition slightly worsens, the body temperature rises to 37-38 degrees, and the rash is represented by only one wave and a small number of bubbles. In such a situation, every mother thinks about whether it is possible to get chickenpox a second time.
Is it possible to get infected again
Most children who have had chickenpox develop strong immunity, which remains until the end of their lives. The antibodies formed during the acute phase of infection protect the child from subsequent re-infection. This is why many believe that chickenpox is only once in a lifetime.
However, in rare cases, the disease recurs, and the child can get sick twice. In 1-3% of people who recovered from childhood, all the symptoms of chickenpox appear, which makes it necessary to recognize re-infection.
Komarovsky's opinion
A well-known pediatrician confirms that repeated chickenpox, although rare, occurs. He has come across such cases in his own practice and notes that the second chickenpox occurs most often in a mild form.
For more details, see the program of Dr. Komarovsky.
Reasons for repeated chickenpox
The most common cause of a second infection with the Varicella Zoster virus is reduced immunity. If the body of a child or adult is unable to fight the pathogen and the number of antibodies in the blood decreases, the risk of a second chickenpox increases.
That is why re-infection is possible in:
- Children with HIV infection.
- Children and adults with cancer and chemotherapy.
- Children who have had a serious illness.
- Children with chronic pathologies.
- Children who have been taking medications for a long time that weakened their body.
- Children who have experienced significant blood loss as well as donor adults.
Another reason for the appearance of "repeated" chickenpox is the misdiagnosis in the first case.
Since chickenpox is often diagnosed only on the basis of an external examination, and confirmation of the correctness of such a diagnosis is not carried out by tests, there are cases when the doctor is mistaken and mistaken for chickenpox another infection that occurs with a rash and fever.
Chickenpox symptoms
As with the first infection, the disease begins with nonspecific signs, which include sore throat, headache, weakness, and similar symptoms. Further, the child's temperature rises, although it may remain within normal limits. General health worsens.
On the same or the next day, a rash will form on the baby's skin. Its mass can be inferior to the number of rashes at the first disease. New blisters appear within two to seven days, but sometimes the rash is limited to one "wave".
At first, they look like small red spots, which after a few hours become papules (such elements of the rash are very similar to mosquito bites), and then quickly enough transform into single-chamber vesicles with a transparent or cloudy liquid. Such a rash is quite itchy and uncomfortable for the child.
Such pimples soon burst, and crusts form on the emerging sores. Over time, they dry out and fall off without leaving any marks (if not combed). From the moment a spot appears on the skin to the formation of a crust, on average 1-2 days pass, and complete cleansing of the skin from crusts occurs in two to three weeks.
Differences from measles
Like chickenpox, measles is a viral infection that occurs in childhood and is transmitted by airborne droplets. Both pathologies occur with an increase in body temperature and the appearance of a rash. Another similarity between chickenpox and measles is the formation of lifelong immunity. This is where the similarity between these two childhood infections ends.
The main differences are:
Shingles
As you know, after the transferred chickenpox, the virus does not leave the human body, but remains in the nerve roots. Over the age of 40, in 15% of people, the virus activates and causes a disease called herpes zoster or shingles. Since the pathogen is the same as for chickenpox, some call this disease the second chickenpox.
Shingles begins with pain, burning, and itching where the rash soon appears. The difference between this type of infection caused by the Varicella Zoster virus is the defeat of only one part of the body, for example, pimples cover only the lateral part of the body.
With shingles, a person is the source of the virus and can transmit it to people who have not previously had chickenpox. Treatment of this pathology, like chickenpox, is only symptomatic. The illness goes away within two to three weeks.
