Chickenpox – What are the Causes, Symptoms, and How is It Diagnosed and Treated?

The primary chickenpox symptoms are as follows:

1.     Rashes
2.     Fluid-filled blisters
3.     Scabs

Apart from these, there are some typical symptoms that one may experience one or two days before the rash appears. They are as follows:

1.     Headache
2.     Fever
3.     Tiredness
4.     Loss of appetite

When the rash starts appearing, it starts from the face, chest and back and spreads across the entire body, including eyelids, genitals and even inside the mouth. Generally, it takes about a week for the blisters to turn into scabs, and the illness lasts for approximately 4 to 7 days.

Moreover, people who are vaccinated against this disease, but have not had chickenpox before, may get affected by this disease. However, they will experience milder symptoms like fewer blisters, no fever or just a mild one, shorter illness duration, etc.  [4] 

The chickenpox infection is caused by the Varicella zoster virus (VZV). In most cases, it occurs if you come in contact with a person infected with this virus, as it remains contagious before you start blistering. Moreover, it remains transmittable until all appearing blisters have been crusted over.

The chickenpox virus can be transmitted in the following ways: 

1. Inhaling in the air infected due to cough, sneezing or saliva droplets of a person having this virus. 
2. Touching or contacting an infected person’s used clothes, which might have fluids from their skin blisters.

Contacting with fluids from the eyes, nose or mouth of a patient infected with chickenpox. [5]

The different stages of chickenpox are as follows:

• Stage 1 – Papules (Raised Pink or Red Bumps)

In the first phase, you will see pink or red bumps, which will have a raised appearance and will be itchy. They are usually known as Papules, and as many as 200 to 250 of these bumps can appear all over your body. Moreover, it can also pop up in delicate parts like the eyes, mouth, anus and genitals, which can sometimes be painful and leave marks if not treated rightfully.

• Stage 2 – Vesicles (Small Fluid-filled Blisters)

After the Papules, these bumps will transform into small, fluid-filled blisters over the next several days and are hence known as Vesicles. When they grow completely and are totally filled with pus, they will last for about one day before they start to break and leak. 

During this stage, the rashes become very itchy and irritable; however, it is recommended not to itch them as it might develop a bacterial infection. 

• Stage 3 – Crusts and Scabs

Finally, in the last phase, these open blisters crust over and turn into scabs, and as they heal, new vesicles might continue to appear. 

Some of the scabs form like a scar, while some are flaky and leak fluid. Hence, you could have all three phases of this infection on your skin at the same time. This is the time when the chance of spreading the virus is the most until all the infection spots are healed completely [6].

You should call your doctor immediately if you develop an unexplained pus-filled rash, especially if it is accompanied by fever or any other cold symptoms. Make sure to cover your body well while visiting the doctor’s chamber to avoid spreading the virus, especially if your tests have identified the virus. Besides, if you feel sick and get symptoms of the chickenpox virus, visit a doctor to lessen the severity and chances of chickenpox complications. 

Some of the situations when you must go for a diagnosis are: 

1. If you haven’t been vaccinated with the chickenpox vaccine ever.
2. If you are pregnant.
3. Have a weaker immune system and the ability to fight diseases.
4. Underwent any transplant recently.

Suffering from HIV/AIDS or cancer. [6]

For chickenpox diagnosis, you need to provide a sample of your blood or the fluid from your blisters. Both of these two types of diagnostic tests are quick procedures and do not take more than 5 minutes time. However, some diagnostic tests can be a little costly and increase in number, especially in cases of severe chickenpox. 

The general types of chickenpox diagnostic tests are:

• Blood Test

A doctor or a healthcare professional will take blood samples from your arm with the help of a syringe to test whether you have chickenpox. After inserting the needle, the blood will be taken out and collected into a sanitised vial. In this entire process, you might feel a slight sting due to the needle of the syringe. 

• Swab Test

A doctor or a healthcare professional will press a cotton swab on a fluid-filled blister in order to collect its sample for testing the severity of chickenpox. In a blister test, the time taken to carry out the test is very minimal, and thus, it is mostly recommended for quick diagnosis. Moreover, it is a painless process and is recommended for those who are afraid of needles or syringes [7][8]

Most of the time, children recover from chickenpox without any complications. However, some of them can suffer from mild bacterial infections on the skin. 

Medical experts also state that there can be instances where a person develops a serious illness that may affect their brain. It can happen either during the rash or a few weeks after it has gone. In most cases, there will be no long-term effect on the brain, although there are chances of that happening in some of them.

For adults, those who have a compromised immune system, chickenpox can have high morbidity [9] [10].

For treating chickenpox, antiviral medicines would be recommended to treat the disease. The medication creates immunity in the body against the chickenpox virus and prevents further contamination.

Some of the medications or treatments available to cure chickenpox are as follows:

1. Acyclovir or Valacyclovir – to combat the virus and prevent complications
2. Calamine lotion and Colloidal Oatmeal baths – to relieve itching from bumps and bruises
3. Analgesic – to reduce fever
4. Antihistamines lotion – to reduce the rash marks

Note – Do not self-medicate. Always consult a licensed doctor before taking any medication to treat chickenpox.

The best way to prevent chickenpox is by getting the chickenpox vaccine. Everyone, including children, adolescents and adults, should get two doses of the chickenpox vaccine if they are not vaccinated or have never had this disease. There is a 98% chance for a vaccinated person to avoid getting infected by the chickenpox virus if they got two doses[11].

In the case of children under the age of 13, they should get their first dose of vaccination between 12 and 15 months and the second one between 4 and 6 years [12].

Some of the chickenpox vaccinations are as follows:

1. Varivax Vaccine – Protects only from chickenpox virus
2. ProQuad Vaccine – Protects from chickenpox virus as well as mumps, measles, rubella and varicella (MMRV)[13].

Chickenpox complications mostly can occur if you do not have a strong and healthy immune system and get infected by the disease. Moreover, there have been a few cases around the world where people have died due to severe chickenpox infection.

However, most of the deaths were caused due to infection from an unvaccinated person; hence, it is recommended to get vaccinated for prevention.

The various complications caused due to getting infected by chickenpox are as follows:

1. Bacterial infections of the skin, soft tissues, and blood, including group A streptococcal infections
2. Pneumonia or other lung infections
3. Infection or swelling of the brain like encephalitis or cerebellar ataxia
4. Suffering from dehydration
5. Bleeding problems or haemorrhagic complications
6. Liver problems
7. Blood clotting or healing issues and bloodstream infections like sepsis [14]

The cost of treating chickenpox in India through different methods are as follows:

1. Through chickenpox vaccine – ₹1500 to ₹3000 
2. By antiviral drug named Acyclovir – ₹100 to ₹3500
3. Scar removal treatment in India – ₹7000 to ₹20000
4. Scar removal cream or ointment – ₹900 to ₹7000 

Although chickenpox is not a deadly disease, it should not be neglected. Negligence can cause severe complications. Moreover, if you get proper treatment, you will be able to create immunity from this disease which will prevent any further infection.

The cost of treating chickenpox virus might not be expensive, but it can require medical help in case of severe medical conditions. Get Navi Health Insurance to reduce the burden of any sudden medical emergency. With 10,000+ network hospitals across India, unlimited online consultations, home hospitalisation, low premiums and other perks, you can easily turn your hospital bills to ₹0. Get a quote now!