OTC - chicken pox

Question 1

Symptoms?

Answer 1

• small red spots, very itchy and infectious blisters –> crusts
• first appear on chest or face before spreading to the limbs/other body parts
• blisters form over the next 12 hours and then burst and scab over the next few days

Prodromal symtpoms
- up to 3 days before chickenpox erupts there may be a fevere, headache, sore throat, myalgia and malaise

Question 2

Referral criteria?

Answer 2

• adults
• pregnant women
• weakened immune system
• infants under 4 weeks old
• shingles for possible antivirals (especially if over 50 years, pregnant, immunocompromised, severe rash or severe pain, eyes involved, non-truncal involvement)

Question 3

Shingles symtpoms?

Answer 3

• blisters appear on one side of the body, usually the trunk and does not cross over the midline
• re-infection with VZV = shingles; nerve infection

Question 4

OTC profucts?

Answer 4

Itching

• calamine lotion
• crotamiton (eurax)
• virasoothe
• 1+ chlorphenamine

Fever

• paracetamol
• avoid ibuprofen - can cause serious skin reaction

Question 5

Advice?

Answer 5

• do not scratch lesions (cut nails short and clean to reduce risk of secondary bacterial infection and scarring)
• very contagious: infectious until lesions have crusted over
• spreads through direct contact with blister exudates and air droplets e.g. coughing and sneezing
• shingles spreads through direct contact only