Chicken Pox Flashcards
What is chicken pox also known as?
Varicella
What is chicken pox?
A highly contagious disease caused by initial infection with varicella zoster virus (VZV)
When does chicken pox typically present?
Ages 1-6
When is chicken pox transmission mostly transmitted?
Winter and spring
What does VZV initiate in a healthy child?
The production of IgG, IgM and IgA antibodies
What does IgG do?
Persist for life and confer immunity
What is also important in limiting the scope and duration of primary varicella infection?
Cell mediated immune responses
What are the signs and symptoms of chicken pox?
- Vesicular rash
- Itching
- Fever
- Headache
- Fatigue/malaise
- Sore throat
How many lesions are typically seen in the vesicular rash of chicken pox?
50-100
How does the vesicular rash spread in chicken pox?
Begins on the head and trunk and progresses to the peripheries
Describe the appearance of the vesicular rash seen in chicken pox?
Crops of vesicles with surrounding erythema and pustules at different times for up to 1 week
Where else may vesicles appear?
Mucous membranes
What can itching lead to?
- Permanent, depigmented scar formation
- Secondary infection
What is the differential for chicken pox?
Smallpox
What are the potential complications of chicken pox?
- Bacterial superinfection
- CNS complications
- Immunocompromisation
