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Sub-Category:

Chickenpox

Specialty: Pediatrics

Category: Infectious Diseases

Sub-category: Viral Exanthems

Symptoms:
itchy rash with fluid-filled blisters; fever; fatigue; loss of appetite; headache

Root Cause:
Infection with Varicella-zoster virus (VZV).

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical diagnosis based on rash appearance; PCR testing or serologic testing in atypical cases.

Treatment:
Symptomatic relief (e.g., antihistamines, acetaminophen); antiviral therapy (e.g., acyclovir) in high-risk cases.

Medications:
Acyclovir (antiviral medication) may be prescribed for severe cases or immunocompromised patients. Antihistamines or calamine lotion may be used to manage itching.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Before widespread vaccination, almost universal in children; now much less common in vaccinated populations.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Lack of vaccination, exposure to infected individuals, immunosuppression.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Typically resolves without complications in healthy children; serious complications can occur in high-risk groups.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Secondary bacterial skin infections, pneumonia, encephalitis, or reactivation as shingles later in life.