Is it possible to get chickenpox twice? Can a child have chickenpox a second time? Is re-infection dangerous?

Chickenpox is an infectious disease caused by the herpes virus Varicella Zoster. The pathogen is transmitted from one infected person to another by airborne droplets. The pathology is acute in nature, occurs with bright severe symptoms: vesicular rash, high temperature, fever, etc. It is believed that a person who has had chickenpox has lifelong immunity against of this disease. However, this is not entirely true. In rare cases, doctors note re-infection with chickenpox in patients.

Chicken pox is acute reaction immune system to the introduction of the V.Zoster virus into the body. The disease is highly contagious, that is, it is easily transmitted from one sick person to another. The pathogen enters the body by embedding itself in the mucous membranes.

The disease normally occurs in several main stages:

1. Infection and incubation period. At this time, the virus integrates into epithelial cells and begins to multiply rapidly. Clinical symptoms are absent, the patient’s health is normal.
2. Initial symptoms of the disease. The pathogen enters the bloodstream and spreads throughout the body. The human immune system begins to produce antibodies to destroy the virus. This process accompanied by deterioration of health, pain in muscles and joints.
3. Acute phase. The virus gets into the endings nerve cells and is built into them. During the same period, the patient develops a characteristic vesicular rash, which is a specific reaction of the body to the presence of Varicella Zoster.
4. Recovery phase. The number of rashes gradually decreases, the patient's condition noticeably improves.

This is how chickenpox occurs in a first-time patient. In people who have already had chickenpox, the pathology can manifest itself with atypical symptoms and lead to a number of complications. The most common are:

• stomatitis or gingivitis;
• otitis;
• pneumonia;
• nephritis;
• pain of unknown etiology;
• arthritis;
• hemorrhagic smallpox - the appearance of a rash with bloody exudate.

Attention! Chicken pox also occurs severely in people over 18-20 years of age who become ill for the first time. To avoid the development of pathology, it is recommended to resort to vaccination as a preventive measure.

Formation of immunity

After the first reaction to the introduction of Varicella Zoster into the cells of the nervous system, the immune system begins to produce immunoglobulins. These are specific structures aimed at identifying and neutralizing various pathogens. Immunoglobulins destroy viruses and body cells that have been damaged by the action of the pathogen. After infectious process stopped in the body, most antibodies die. However, a small part of them mutate and become so-called memory cells. These are structures that allow the body to recognize Varicella Zoster and immediately destroy the virus if it begins to become active.

In some people, for a number of reasons, the immune system is completely unable to produce memory cells, or they die several months or years after the attack. chickenpox. In this case, the patient may get chickenpox again if he encounters an infectious carrier of the virus.

Attention! Science has not yet been able to establish for what reasons some people lose the memory cells responsible for developing immunity to chickenpox. In medical practice, there have been several cases where patients contracted chickenpox more than 3-4 times.

Is it possible to get chickenpox again?

In most cases, people who have had chickenpox once are no longer at risk of contracting this infection. However, in approximately 3-5% of cases, patients get it again. Relapse of the pathology occurs against the background of a depressed state of the immune system. The developed immunity to chickenpox is non-sterile. This means that after suffering from the disease, a person not only remains immune to chickenpox, but the virus itself continues to exist in the patient’s body. The causative agent is located in the spinal ganglia, that is, in the endings of nerve cells. In most cases, the virus remains inactive in cells and continues to exist for decades.

It is due to the fact that pathogens are located in the cells of the nervous tissue that the immune system continues to constantly produce antibodies to them. Re-infection with chickenpox is possible in two cases:

1. The immune system produces an insufficient amount of antibodies, as a result of which the virus that has entered the body from the outside begins to actively multiply.
2. Varicella Zoster is activated due to a sharp weakening of the human immune system. Elderly people are most susceptible to this.

Attention! Cases of repeated chickenpox occur in adults in more than 80% of cases, but children can also become infected again. This indicates that the child’s immune system is suppressed due to some other, more severe pathology. In addition, symptoms similar to chickenpox can occur with a number of other diseases: scabies, allergies, dermatitis, etc.

Video - Is it possible to get chickenpox again?

Chicken pox and herpes zoster

Varicella Zoster is capable of causing two diseases with similar clinical picture and etiology: chickenpox and herpes zoster. If chickenpox affects in most cases children, lichen most often develops in adults or the elderly. Both pathologies have the following symptoms:

1. The onset of the disease is acute: the patient complains of a sharp disturbance in health, headache, and fatigue. On examination, febrile fever up to 39-39.5°C is noted.
2. After 12-48 hours, vesicles form on the patient’s skin and epithelium - small pock-shaped vesicles filled with transparent or whitish content.

A characteristic difference between lichen and chickenpox is that the rashes with herpes zoster are located along the nerve trunks, which is caused by damage to cell processes by the virus. Vesicles are usually localized in the intercostal space, collar area, neck and cheekbones. The rash that has formed gives the patient intense painful sensations, which can only be stopped with the use of local and general analgesics.

Attention! The causative agent of herpes zoster can provoke disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system. When this pathology is detected, in most cases the patient requires hospitalization.

Shingles develops due to exposure to the same pathogen as chickenpox and has clinical manifestations similar to it. That is why the pathology in some cases is diagnosed as a repeated case of chickenpox or its complication.

Who is at risk?

The secondary development of chickenpox is observed in people with impaired immune function. In this case, the virus manifests itself in the form of shingles, affecting the abdomen, armpits, neck and shoulders.

The following groups of people are susceptible to re-infection with chickenpox:

1. Patients who have undergone any major operations, organ and tissue transplantation, blood transfusions, etc.
2. People with suppressed immunity, including people with HIV and AIDS and patients taking drugs with cytostatic effects.
3. Patients with autoimmune diseases: systemic lupus erythematosus, crest syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis.
4. Patients with chronic pathologies: peptic ulcer, diabetes mellitus, disruption of the endocrine system, etc.
5. People who are constantly exposed to stress, neuroses and mental pressure.

Diseases similar to chickenpox

There are also a number of diseases clinical symptoms which is very similar to the manifestations of chickenpox. However, these pathologies have a different etiology. Most often, when diagnosed as chickenpox, other disorders caused by the herpes virus are mistakenly diagnosed. Modern medicine identifies eight main types of herpetic infections.

Comparative characteristics of herpes viruses

Pathogen name	Localization in the body	Symptomatic manifestations
Herpes pathogen 1	Trigeminal nerve cells	Herpes lesions of the mucous membrane of the eyes and oral cavity, encephalitis
Herpes pathogen 2	Nerve endings of the sacroiliac symphysis	Rash in the genital area, meningoencephalitis
The causative agent of chickenpox and herpes zoster 3	Spinal nerve endings	Chickenpox, herpes zoster
Epstein-Barr virus	B lymphocytes, mucous membranes of the nasopharynx	Infectious mononucleosis, Burkitt's lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, B-cell lymphoma
CMV	Leukocytes, mucous membranes, salivary glands, renal tubules	Cytomegalovirus infection, dysfunction of the central nervous system, retinitis, pneumonia, hepatitis, general viral damage to the body
Human herpes type 6	B lymphocytes	Skin lesions in children under two years of age
Human herpes type 7	Undefined	Skin lesions - exanthema
Human herpes type 8	Undefined	Multiple hemorrhagic sarcomatosis

Attention! The human body may contain several various types herpes virus. In this case, a combined infection develops, which manifests itself various signs one or another strain of the pathogen.

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Medieval astronomers looking at full moon, sympathized with her. It seemed to them that her face was disfigured by smallpox. But if you do not scratch the emerging papules (purulent formations, rashes), the disease will pass without a trace. True, with age, a new unpleasant encounter may occur - chickenpox for the second time lies in wait for every 5th person who once had it. Probability re-development disease increases in people with reduced immune protection(due to chronic diseases, AIDS, HIV infection) and constant stress.

Does chickenpox happen a second time?

Is it possible to get chickenpox a second time: an incomprehensible virus

The chickenpox virus spreads rapidly. Airborne transmission is its path

It only takes 10 minutes for the virus, poetically called “varicella-zoster,” to remain in the air to infect everyone. This type of herpes dies quickly - under the influence sun rays, ultraviolet radiation, but high susceptibility (100%) is merciless to every organism. Although scientists are still arguing whether it is possible to become infected with chickenpox a second time, this does not make it any easier for patients.

There is a theory that smallpox affects the body once. But in case of insufficient treatment, it is deposited in the endings of neurons and develops again after a few years when the immune system is weakened. In adults it manifests itself in the form of herpes zoster.

• Another theory says that it is possible to get sick a second time, just like a third, and there is no lifetime guarantee against the disease.
• Its consequences in children are almost invisible. But the second time chickenpox is more painful, the risk of complications on the brain, liver, and lungs is high.
• A woman in an interesting situation can be frightened by a diagnosis undesirable consequences for the baby.

As a percentage, this fear is almost groundless - up to the 14th week - 0.5%, up to the 20th week - about 2%. Then the child is no longer afraid of chickenpox, so expectant mothers do not have to attend kindergartens in quarantine due to smallpox while planning a pregnancy. There are more humane methods. First you need to make sure that it is chickenpox.

“Ugly” disease: chickenpox for the second time

Chickenpox has its own symptoms.

1. High temperature (up to 40 degrees).
2. Weakness, headaches.
3. Pain in the joints.

The “apotheosis” remains unpleasant rashes. They go through several stages - from the appearance of red blisters up to 4 mm, which are then filled with pus, until they completely dry out and form a crust. If the papules are not injured by scratching, they will go away without a trace.

The danger is that rashes can also appear on the mucous membranes - on organs and eyes.

The patient is dangerous before the onset of the rash and until the 5th day after its complete disappearance. Has the last spot gone? You can receive guests. Now with tangerines. Before that they were strictly taboo...

Repeated chickenpox Rarely observed in children. As a rule, after recovery, a fairly strong immunity is developed and there is no relapse, but it does occur. For a child to get chickenpox a second time, there must be quite compelling circumstances and reasons.

In fact, after recovery, the virus that caused the disease does not go anywhere, but remains in the body for a long time. nerve ganglia. It can remain there all its life in an inactive state and not manifest itself in any way. Hypothermia, severe stress, and low immunity can activate it again. If there was a provoking factor, then a child of any age can get chickenpox 2 times.

Factors for recurrent chickenpox in children

There are several reasons for relapse:

1. Medical error. One of the two times the child was sick, the doctor could make a mistake and make the wrong diagnosis. In its manifestations, chicken pox is similar to diseases such as impetigo, strophulus, streptoderma, herpangina, herpes simplex, and even the bites of some insects. It is not uncommon for children to be diagnosed with recurrent chickenpox, the symptoms of which are similar to many other diseases, while in fact the baby has shingles.

1. Early age. If the child had chickenpox for the first time in early childhood, or rather in infancy, then he might not have developed immunity, since the human immune system is formed by the age of 3-4. And if he was also breastfed, then the antibodies in breast milk, helped to overcome the disease with minimal negative symptoms.

1. Immune system disorders. The question of how many times you can get chickenpox is also of interest to parents of those children who have a history of various disorders immune system due to circumstances such as:

• immunodeficiency (acquired);
• taking glucocorticosteroids;
• chemotherapy;
• cancerous tumors, including blood cancer;
• Internal organ transplantation.

1. Light form. In the mild form of the disease, there are two subtypes:

• erased – the rashes are sporadic and small in size;
• abortive - the stage of formation of a vesicle in this form is skipped, and a papule is formed immediately, while the body temperature does not increase.

Features of the development of recurrent chickenpox

A few days after the virus, disease-causing, begins to actively multiply in the body, and health deteriorates sharply. On initial stage appears headache, dizziness, decreased activity, increased fatigue. Then the child’s body temperature begins to rise. After a few days, a rash appears in the form of small blisters that do not go away for about 7 days.

Repeated chickenpox in children develops according to the following mechanism:

1. Deterioration in health, loss of appetite (due to ulcers in the mouth and larynx, the throat may hurt), fever.
2. The body becomes covered with blisters, inside of which there is a cloudy liquid.
3. After a while they burst, leaving behind pimples.
4. Then the sores become crusty.
5. At the end of the disease, the crust dries out and falls off.

How long it will take to recover from repeated chickenpox directly depends on general condition baby's health. The worse it is, the longer and more severe the disease will progress. The presence of chronic pathologies also aggravates the condition.

Features of the course of the disease

Experts note the severity of the repeated course of chickenpox - the high temperature lasts for quite a long time and it is difficult to bring it down; it is also almost impossible to relieve the itching, even after treating the skin by special means. Serious ones are not uncommon, especially if a secondary layer of infection has occurred. Cases have been recorded where the consequence of this disease was partial or total loss vision, postherpetic neuralgia, deafness, staggering when moving, encephalitis, meningitis. Existing chronic illnesses often worsen. All these features occur if the child suffered the disease for the first time in infancy, or in a mild form.

If the first infection was at the age of 2-4 years, the disease was severe, then with repeated infection the course of the disease will be much mild - with a moderate temperature and not so profuse rashes.

Treatment

Paracetamol will help overcome high fever with secondary chickenpox. Antihistamines will partially relieve the itching, and discomfort on the skin can be eased with brilliant green and fucorcin.

A sick child is forbidden to take a bath or, in general, to wet the rashes during the period of their active growth (usually the first 3 days). Doctors recommend lubricating the skin with moisturizer - this will help avoid scars. For those who are “lucky enough” to have chickenpox twice, just like the first time, it is not unimportant bed rest, drinking plenty of fluids and a special (milk) diet. In case of development serious condition Antiviral medications are additionally prescribed.

If the baby complains of a sore throat when eating, then doctors advise resorting to rinsing with furatsilin, herbal tinctures or mixtures. Furacilin has an antibacterial effect. Dissolve the tablet (0.2 g) in 100 ml of water. Rinse every 2-3 hours.

Tinctures of chamomile, calendula, propolis and St. John's wort have an antiseptic, antispasmodic and calming effect. To prepare the solution you need 1 tsp. dissolve in a glass (200 ml) hot water. Rinse up to 4 times a day.

Tablespoon herbal collection from chamomile, flax seeds, eucalyptus and calendula, poured with boiling water and infused for 30 minutes, will become effective means in the fight against mouth ulcers. Rinse 3 times during the day.

Prevention of relapse

Preventative measures for re-infection with chickenpox include the administration of the Varilrix vaccine, which protects for 7-20 years. This is done for a fee.

To avoid medical errors, you should not contact an ordinary pediatrician or doctor general practice, and to an infectious disease specialist. It is also necessary to donate blood from a vein for serological analysis twice. With chickenpox, the number of antibody titers increases approximately 4 times.

Parents whose children are at risk should know whether a child can have chickenpox a second time:

• have weak immunity;
• have chronic illnesses;
• the first infection was in early age, or proceeded in a mild form.

Such children demand special attention— they need to eat well, strengthen their immune system, observe good hygiene, follow a daily routine, and regularly perform moderate physical activity.

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Chicken pox is a disease whose virus penetrates the mucous membranes and brings a number of unfavorable symptoms. Chills, cough, body temperature rises, and a rash forms, causing severe itching. Chickenpox lasts up to four weeks. The disease is popular among children. They come into contact with a large number of peers every day, playing outside or being in kindergarten. For them, the virus is not as dangerous and does not cause harm as it does for adults. In most cases, a person is infected with this virus once and after recovery, he develops lifelong immunity.

It is extremely rare for a child to get chickenpox a second time due to a number of certain factors.

Doctors give an ambiguous answer to the reasons for re-infection. Much depends on how severe the illness was, at what age, as well as the general health of the patient. Is it possible to get chickenpox a second time in childhood or is it a myth - everyone needs to understand this issue in detail. After all, chickenpox itself causes a lot of inconvenience. At the very least, it means staying at home all the time, so as not to infect other people and not pick up additional infections. The body is in a weakened state and any change around causes stress.

Can a child get chickenpox a second time, reasons for re-infection

This is very rare, because it is known that strong immunity is developed. Relapse occurs again only for certain reasons, which may explain why recurrent chickenpox occurs in children.

The VaricellaZoster virus, which causes chickenpox, does not leave the body; it persists in the nerve ganglia. More often it remains there and does not manifest itself in any way; the following circumstances can provoke it: stress, hypothermia, a sharp decline immunity, especially for young patients.

Causes of re-infection with chickenpox in children:

• Immunity disorder caused by serious factors. For example, a previous operation cancer, HIV, tumors, etc.
• Early chickenpox. There are cases when the disease has overtaken the baby. At this age, a full-fledged immune system has not yet formed. Symptoms are usually not pronounced and the disease progresses quite quickly. Therefore, the virus can enter the body after three years of age and chickenpox occurs again in children. Sometimes the symptoms are not so clear and parents do not understand what their baby was sick with. Indeed, with a mild form, you can confuse the disease with urticaria, allergies, bites, etc. For any uncharacteristic manifestations, call an ambulance.
• Doctor's mistake. Watching initial symptoms, we go to the medical center. Secondary or primary chickenpox in children may be confused with another disease. Very similar to it: tonsillitis, herpes, streptoderma, measles. In this case, treatment will be ineffective and may cause harm. Therefore, if a child is diagnosed with chickenpox for the second time, seek additional advice from another specialist.

Features of recurrent disease

The symptoms of the virus are similar to those present the first time. However, they are more pronounced. Body temperature rises quite high and lasts a long time; it is difficult to lower it. It is repeated illness with chickenpox in children that can cause complications. The most severe cases that were registered by doctors: visual impairment, hearing impairment, meningitis. If a child has an allergy to something, it begins to worsen.

At the same time, doctors believe that if smallpox was initially severe, then with the next infection one can expect light form. But don't think that she is harmless. Any, even the slightest symptoms, can be dangerous to the body.

What to do if children have chickenpox for the second time

When a baby becomes infected with chickenpox, any parent tries to find competent treatment and contact medical Center, especially if the child has chickenpox for the second time. In this case, it is necessary to make an accurate diagnosis by passing the appropriate tests. After this, a number of drugs are prescribed that are antipyretic, analgesic, antipruritic and antiseptic in nature. Since repeated chickenpox in children often has complicated symptoms, it is imperative to follow all the doctor’s recommendations. It is important to ventilate the room, give vitamins and ensure proper nutrition.

When to contact a medical facility

There is no doubt whether a child may have chickenpox for the second time - you need to consult a doctor in time for high-quality diagnostics. If you experience rashes, dizziness, or high body temperature, go to the hospital immediately. Only the doctor's answer will confirm whether your child may get chickenpox a second time or has another problem. On this moment There are a number of modern tests that will help you quickly make an accurate diagnosis and determine whether chickenpox has caused painful symptoms or not.

Chicken pox is a disease infectious nature with airborne droplet spread, caused by a virus of the Herpesviridae family and characterized by the obligatory presence of a maculopapular-vesicular rash.

Classification of chickenpox by the nature of the rash

• Typical;
• Atypical:
  • pustular;
  • vestigial;
  • bullous;
  • gangrenous;
  • generalized;
  • hemorrhagic.

Causes

The chickenpox virus infects exclusively human cells, so the only carrier of the virus can only be a person. This one has viral disease has its own characteristics. In particular, its virus contains DNA, it is sensitive to exposure ultraviolet irradiation, and it is also easy for him to survive in conditions where the temperature of the environment in which he is located is quite low. Therefore, repeated thawing and freezing processes do not affect it in any way.

The virus has an airborne transmission route, that is, it spreads from the patient when he talks, coughs, sneezes, kisses, etc. Patients with chickenpox are able to infect other people approximately 20-24 hours before the rash appears and until the 5th day when the last rash was recorded. The chickenpox virus dies quickly external environment- under the influence of sunlight and ultraviolet irradiation. In the open air, the virus lives for about 10 minutes.

How long does chickenpox remain contagious?

The number of days that one can become infected affects not only the degree of infection of the carrier of the infection itself, but also the immunity of those potentially infected, if weak immunity you can pick up almost absent particles of infection remnants, and with a strong immune system, it is possible to overcome a small attack of the virus. Also, when high degree protection by the immune system of the sick person, the disease will leave him sooner, and the period of spread will decrease significantly.

In average statistical indicators and according to results laboratory research, it was determined that on average, chickenpox remains infectious for about 10-12 days from the day the virus enters the body. However, it should be remembered that safety measures related to protection against infection are never superfluous. Incubation period according to data scientific medicine- ranges from 10 to 21 days from the day of infection; chickenpox remains contagious about 5 days after the appearance of the last ulcer and its covering with a crust.

Chickenpox is more contagious than many others infectious diseases. At the same time, infection can only be achieved through very close contact, through airborne droplets; the patient should not be allowed to cough or sneeze in the presence of a person who has not yet had chickenpox.

Symptoms

Chickenpox occurs in 4 periods: incubation, prodrome, rash period and crust formation period.

The incubation period for chickenpox lasts: from 13 to 17 days for patients under 30 years of age, and from 11 to 21 days for patients over 30 years of age.

The incubation period itself may have varying degrees duration, depending on the body’s preparedness to fight infection of a particular organism. The time and severity of the disease, as well as the period of contagiousness, are also different.

The prodromal period begins approximately one day before the rash: fever, pain in the lumbar region, headache. In children, there is most often no prodromal period, and the disease is expressed by the appearance of a rash.

How does chickenpox begin and what are its first signs?

The rashes in most children occur without any disturbances in the general condition; the manifestations of fever coincide with the appearance of the rash, since the rashes appear in waves, in several stages. In adults, the rashes are more often massive, at the same time the temperature rises, and severe itching appears.

Initially, the rash appears in the form of small spots, which literally after a few hours transform into a vesicle (vesicle) with redness around it. After two or three days, the vesicle bursts and dries out, and gradually becomes covered with a dense crust.

Considering that the rashes appear at intervals of one or two days, a rash can be observed on the skin at the same time different stages development (spot, nodule, vesicle, crust).

Exist various shapes of this disease. Chicken pox can be typical or atypical in form. Typical shape Chickenpox is also divided into several types, such as mild, moderate and severe types of the disease.

When a person is sick mild form chickenpox, overall he doesn’t feel so bad. His body temperature does not exceed 38°. On the skin there is a relatively Not a large number of rash, and a very small amount of rash is present on the mucous membranes. The rash only appears for 2 to 4 days.

If the patient has a moderate form of this infectious disease, then there is slight intoxication in his body. The onset of chickenpox is also characterized elevated temperature, but there are much more rashes on the body than in the first case. They occur over a longer period of time, approximately 4 to 5 days. In addition, the rash is itchy. When the blisters on the skin begin to dry out, the patient's general condition becomes more satisfactory, and his body temperature also returns to normal.

If the patient has a severe form of chickenpox, the rash is present in large quantities, and not only on skin, but also on the mucous membranes of the eyes, mouth, nose and genitals. Rashes will appear on the patient’s body within a week, or even more. The temperature will be quite high. The patient's health will be so poor that he may experience such negative reactions body symptoms such as vomiting, trouble sleeping and lack of appetite.

Atypical forms of an infectious disease such as chickenpox can be of several types. These are rudimentary forms, as well as forms with non-standard symptoms and complications.

Most often, the rudimentary form of chickenpox occurs in children when they are only a few months old. It is characterized by the fact that they develop a small rash on their skin. At the same time, chickenpox in this form has practically no effect on the deterioration of the child’s well-being. The temperature may not rise above normal levels.

Forms of the disease with severe symptoms, that is, aggravated ones, are observed quite rarely. Usually those children who are weakened and have altered immunity are susceptible to them. For example, these could be children who have leukemia, or who have been long period time was treated with steroid hormones. This type of chickenpox can end in death.

Another form of atypical chickenpox is generalized. It is accompanied by fever and an increased degree of intoxication, a large amount of rash, which is located not only on the skin and mucous membranes, but also on the internal organs.

If a patient has a hemorrhagic form, hemorrhages begin in the skin and mucous membranes, cases of nosebleeds, as well as hemorrhages in internal organs, are common.

The gangrenous form means the presence of a symptom such as the appearance of dry gangrene simultaneously with the appearance of rashes, after which a deep ulcer remains after it falls off.

Diagnostics

Diagnosing chickenpox most often does not present any difficulties. The diagnosis is made based on clinical manifestations, taking into account epidemiology.

Treatment

During the entire febrile period, bed rest is mandatory. When treating chickenpox, antipyretic drugs and detoxification therapy are prescribed; if skin itching is present, antihistamines are indicated.

Suprastin: used for skin itching, urticaria, eczema, allergies, conjunctivitis. Available in the form of tablets, solution for intravenous and intramuscular injection. In tablet form, it should be taken three times a day, adults 75 milligrams per day, children 6.5 ml per day or half a tablet 2 times a day. The solution is made 1-2 ampoules per muscle for adults, half an ampoule for children. Suprastin should be used with caution in the elderly, people with impaired renal or liver function, and those who are underweight.

Tavegil - exists in the form of syrup, injections and tablets. Used for skin itching, urticaria, eczema. Taken orally 2 times a day, 1 mg for persons over 12 years of age. Up to 12 years: 0.5 mg 2 times a day. Injections are carried out intravenously or intramuscularly, 2 ml once a day.

Many people believe that it is wrong to smear chickenpox with brilliant green, since it is an alcohol-based antiseptic that dries out the skin greatly. Another disadvantage is that it gets dirty. bed sheets, and quite difficult to wash off. The advantage is that the brilliant green is clearly visible on the child, thanks to this it is possible to control the number of newly appeared spots. In addition to brilliant green, there are many other remedies, as in folk medicine, and among drugs. Many of them are much more effective than solution brilliant green.

How to apply chickenpox (except brilliant green)

• The most common and inexpensive remedy which helps better than green stuff, that's five percentage solution potassium permanganate. It dries out pimples and relieves itching, and can be used an unlimited number of times a day.
• Fukortsin - consists of boric acid, resorcinol, basic fuchsin, pure phenol, ethyl alcohol and distilled water. Take a small amount of the drug with a cotton swab and apply it to the “pimples” 4 times a day. After the product has dried, you can apply ointment on top of it. The product does not have a color that is very distinctive from the skin of sores, so it is not particularly noticeable.
• Methylene blue - has Blue colour, washes off well from skin and things. For treatment, a 0.5-3 percent solution is used to lubricate the rash.
• Salicylic alcohol is much more effective than brilliant green. Used to treat skin diseases, skin lesions. This tool applied to the affected area using a cotton swab or cotton swab 3 times a day.
• “Zindol” contains zinc oxide, which acts as a drying and anti-inflammatory agent. It looks like a suspension from which you can make your own ointment for chickenpox. To do this, you need to put the bottle in a dark place and leave it for several days until a thick substance appears at the bottom. Then you should drain top part, leaving only a thickened sediment. This ointment can also be applied to affected areas of the skin. Apply this product to the skin about 6 times a day.

How to smear chickenpox in the mouth of adults. Chickenpox in the oral cavity is accompanied by difficulty swallowing and the ability to spread the infection throughout respiratory tract. To prevent this from happening, you should protect yourself with medications.

The mouth should be rinsed four times a day and always after meals. A solution of soda will help with this, which needs to be poured into a glass of water in the amount of two hundred grams. You can also add a weak solution of potassium permanganate, a decoction of herbs to the water: chamomile, yarrow, dandelion, sage; sodium sulfate, furatsilin, calendula or propolis tincture.

Anesthetic gels are used as an anesthetic, these include Kalgel or Kamistad. Calgel in an amount of 7 mm is applied to cotton swab and spread on the affected areas of the mouth no more than 6 times a day before meals. Kamistad contains the components lidocaine and chamomile flower extract. The product is applied to the affected areas of the mouth in the form of a 0.5 cm strip and rubbed. The procedure should be carried out three times a day.

You can smear chickenpox in your mouth with a solution of boric acid three times a day. By using sea ​​buckthorn oil or dental paste, a protective layer is formed on the affected areas, which will speed up healing and protect the oral cavity for four hours.

What is the best way to apply chickenpox? It is best to apply products that will quickly dry out the sores and disinfect them. In addition to the above remedies, there are also various balms, creams, gels, lotions and ointments for chickenpox. All of them help relieve itching. Lotions have a soothing and cooling effect and prevent the rash from spreading across the skin. Ointments act as an antiviral, antipruritic and anti-inflammatory agent. Gels are anti-edema, antipruritic and local anesthetic agents. The gel has a cooling effect.

If a premature baby or a patient with a weakened immune system gets chickenpox, then antiviral drugs. Careful hygiene is mandatory: taking baths with a weak solution of manganese, wearing ironed linen. To prevent scratching of blisters and infection, trim your nails.

The areas affected by chickenpox are treated with a disinfectant solution. If ulcers appear, antibiotics are prescribed. In order to speed up the falling off of crusts, ultraviolet irradiation is indicated.

A specific method of preventing chickenpox is vaccination, which provides lasting immunity to the disease for many years.

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What does chickenpox look like in children during recovery?

When the time comes for recovery, the rash begins to crust over and fall off without anyone's help. This situation talking about proper treatment, usually after the crusts fall off, not a trace of the disease remains on the body.

Chickenpox treatment is usually done on an outpatient basis. You should make sure that the child does not scratch the spots, try in every possible way to distract him from this; small children can wear special soft gloves on their hands. If the rash begins to fester, which usually happens when scratching, then the doctor will prescribe antibiotics. Be sure to provide the child with rest and bed rest. During illness, the baby should not be washed, as this may complicate the course of the disease; bedding should be changed as often as possible. Bathing can only be done in a bath with potassium permanganate for a few minutes; you can also take a shower, but not for long. A large amount of fluid will help with treatment.

If the child's body temperature is more than 38 degrees, antipyretic drugs based on paracetamol should be given. By using antihistamines itching can be reduced. To disinfect the rash, the bubbles can be burned with brilliant green, and in this way you can also identify new spots that have appeared.

Complications of chickenpox

Quite rarely, in about 5% of cases, complications occur after chickenpox. As a rule, the disease is severe in adults with primary infection, in people with a weakened immune system, and also in infants. The most common complication is various skin infections- they develop if the wounds have been scratched and bacteria have penetrated into them, and can be quite serious and require long-term treatment. Pneumonia, transient arthritis, hepatitis and encephalitis may develop. The latter is one of the most dangerous complications - inflammation of the brain, or encephalitis, can be caused by joining bacterial infection, or the virus entering the central nervous system. In the future, encephalitis can cause paralysis, visual and sensory impairment, and some other neurological disorders.

Chickenpox is of little danger to pregnant women - the risk of complications is quite small when infected before 20 weeks, after which there is practically no risk for the child. However, if infection occurs in the last week before birth, there is a risk of congenital chickenpox in the child, which is always quite severe.

Prevention of chickenpox

Prevention of chickenpox, however, is still a controversial issue in medicine. Some doctors do not consider it necessary, but it is still better to be prepared and know how to protect yourself from chickenpox.

The only way to help protect yourself from chickenpox, and that works 100%, is complete isolation from the source of the disease. However, this is practically impossible, because the patient is already contagious at the moment when there are no external manifestations it will not be possible to notice; but you need to remember that from the moment the crusts dry, the risk of infection is reduced to zero.

If there is a sick person in the family, it is necessary not to forget that the disease is easily transmitted by airborne droplets, which means that even in the absence of direct contact you can become infected. Gauze masks and respirators can reduce the risk. The patient must be in a separate room, all hygiene products, as well as cups, plates and other utensils must be individual. It is possible to use quartz home lamp, but you must follow the instructions carefully.

Due to the fact that children are younger school age They tolerate the disease quite easily; parents sometimes try to provoke contact between their child and the patient.

Since the seventies of the last century, the vaccine against chickenpox has been successfully and very effectively used - now the main prevention of chickenpox in children and adults is precisely this. Vaccination is especially recommended for pregnant women, patients after chemotherapy and people with a weakened immune system. The vaccination can also be done in the first three days after contact with the patient. In the event that an adult does not remember whether he had chickenpox, and there is no way to find out, it is better to play it safe and also get vaccinated.

No matter how insignificant the disease chickenpox may seem, prevention must be carried out. It is worth remembering that the main prevention of chickenpox in adults and children is maintaining healthy image life. Correct balanced diet, regular exercise and absence bad habits will help support immune system is fine, because it is she who is responsible for how susceptible our body is to viruses and infections.

Is it possible to get chickenpox again?

“Lifelong immunity” after an illness is determined by the fact that the virus itself Varicella zoster- remains forever in the body in an amount not sufficient to cause an infection or infect surrounding people, but it is its presence that forces the body to constantly produce antibodies to fight chickenpox, which is why it is believed that the body of a person who has already been sick once - has antibodies always ready to fight, which means it is untouchable for this virus. There is an assumption that it is these particles of virus remnants that can serve to develop an infection such as shingles (which is considered to be the second chickenpox), this assumption has been made due to the fact that these two infections are based on the same virus Varicella zoster and can be related to one another, in addition, a person suffering from shingles can infect another person with chickenpox, which is proven by relatives family ties these two infectious diseases. Shingles, unlike chickenpox itself, tends to appear many times, two, three or more, and may even acquire chronic form, at improper treatment and neglect of safety measures.

There is an opinion that chickenpox is a “children’s” disease, but shingles is a problem for the older generation, but this opinion is erroneous. Both diseases can strike at any age. The disease is considered to be a childhood disease, since this infection constantly circulates in various institutions intended for children, and in addition, it is even useful to have chickenpox in childhood, since a “lifelong” immunity to this type of virus appears; There are cases of diseases, but they are much more difficult to tolerate and have more consequences for the general condition of the body, as well as its appearance. Of course, if we consider separately cases of herpes zoster, older people are more likely to get sick, but the disease is much more severely tolerated than chickenpox in any age period.

It should be noted that cases of re-infection with chickenpox in the same form as originally were found in medical practice. Such repeated infections can be called exceptions rather than the rule. However, a person who was ill once in childhood can still be infected again. All symptoms, as well as the number of days of the incubation period and the characteristics of the course of the disease, will be the same, however, in most cases, the infection occurs in a milder and weakened form, and does not cause serious consequences, and even more so complications.

Chickenpox during pregnancy

Cases of morbidity during pregnancy are quite rare: 0.005-0.007 as a percentage. Fertilized women get sick no more often or more severely than non-pregnant adults, but when complicated by pneumonia (9-22%), mortality can reach 14-30-42%.

If a woman catches chickenpox while pregnant, she needs to know about the consequences. The virus enters the fetus through the placenta. How dangerous this is for the child depends on the period at which the disease occurred:

The first weeks are a high probability of miscarriage. Just at this time everything begins to form important organs, and any disease can cause harm. The virus affects the development of the cerebral cortex, can provoke cataracts, and there is also a possibility of developing limb hypoplasia. The probability of fetal underdevelopment is about 2 percent.

In general, the second trimester can be characterized by the fact that the risk for the woman and fetus is quite high, but decreases slightly; relative to the first trimester (1.5 percent), the child can get congenital chickenpox syndrome.

If the disease occurs in the period from the thirteenth to the twentieth week, it is possible to get a child with this congenital syndrome chickenpox - increases to 3-5 percent. In more detail about this syndrome: birth defects in the newborn are observed, such as scarred skin, deformation of the limbs, a smaller head than normal, and congenital visual defects. Incomplete development of unfortunate children entails lifelong consequences; in the future, children suffer from seizures and develop the makings of all kinds of mental and physical abnormalities at different stages of development. In the second trimester of pregnancy, the death of the embryo in the womb, as well as miscarriage, is still possible.

After 20 weeks, chickenpox does not have such a terrible effect on the fetus. Nevertheless, control over the course of the process is necessary - a specialist, namely a doctor. If a woman gets chickenpox at the beginning of the third trimester, it is more likely that the baby will not suffer any consequences. After about five days from the moment of infection, the body begins to produce antibodies to viral particles, and also, through the placenta, protects the fetus with them, which preserves the safe development of the child (since the fetus itself does not have a sufficiently developed immune system to protect itself on its own).

The most risky period during fruiting for chickenpox is the last five days before the onset of labor and the first couple of days after the birth of the baby. Since in this case the newborn is exposed to the virus, but does not have enough time to receive and protect itself with maternal T-lymphocytes (antibodies to fight the virus). In the last week before birth, chickenpox becomes the most dangerous for the health and safety of the child, since the newborn gets the disease, which poses a huge risk.

According to statistics, in 30 cases out of a hundred, a child gets neonatal chickenpox, which is dangerous to the health of the newborn and even his life if the disease is not treated in time. This infection is fatal. For pregnant women with chickenpox, in addition to the danger to the fetus, there are also unhappy prospects for herself; against the background of chickenpox, pneumonia can form, a rather disappointing statistic: in 15 cases out of a hundred, the disease leads to the development of pneumonia, which poses a terrible threat to female body(up to and including death before, after, and also probably during childbirth). We do not ignore the risk of giving birth before term. There is a significant tendency to easily get pneumonia in this state - it occurs in the third trimester of gestation. Of course, smokers are more likely to get complications compared to expectant mothers who do not smoke.

Treatment of chickenpox in pregnant women

As soon as you notice the first signs of chickenpox, consult a doctor immediately. Most likely, you will be prescribed immunoglobulin; it helps the body cope with the virus on its own, weakening the force of its impact. If you do not want to get complications in purulent form- don’t even think about allowing yourself to scratch the rashes! If you are suffering from severe, unbearable itching, the doctor should prescribe you antihistamines. Rashes should be treated with green paint. Excellent auxiliary, in the treatment of chickenpox in pregnant women, Acyclovir has proven itself, making it easier for women to endure this infection with the least discomfort and itching. At high temperature- you can use drugs based on paracetamol (Before use, you must study the instructions in detail).