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This article was co-written by Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS. Luba Lee is a licensed family physician practicing in Tennessee. She received her MSN from the University of Tennessee in 2006.
There are 16 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 24,481 times.
Chickenpox is a common childhood illness and is highly contagious. Chickenpox is caused by the Varicella Zoster virus, and the virus usually causes a mild, non-life-threatening illness. However, the disease can still be severe and cause death in many people. Both children and adults can get chickenpox. When caring for someone who is sick, you can still get chickenpox if you’ve never had chickenpox or been vaccinated. It’s best to learn how to prevent the disease to reduce the long-term effects of chickenpox.
Steps
Protect yourself around someone who has chickenpox
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Understand how the chickenpox virus spreads. This virus is highly contagious and spreads through the air through airborne particles (particles from skin lesions or from the upper respiratory tract). You can also get the virus from contact with an open wound by touching your face, nose, and mouth. [1] X Trusted Source Centers for Disease Contrp and Prevention Go to source
- After exposure to the virus, the incubation period can be as long as 10-21 days.
- According to studies of transmission between family members, about 90% of people in close contact with an infected person will get chickenpox.
- Varicella virus carriers are capable of infecting others 1-2 days before the appearance of a skin rash and continue to infect until ALL skin lesions crust over.
- Some people who have been vaccinated can get re-infected with Varicella virus, a mild form of chickenpox that can cause less than 50 rashes and a low-grade fever. People who are reinfected with chickenpox can also infect others. However, the infection rate is only one-third of unvaccinated people. [2] X Trusted Source Centers for Disease Contrp and Prevention Go to source
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Protect yourself from infection through airborne droplets. Take care when caring for someone with chickenpox to reduce the risk of airborne droplet transmission. Varicella Zoster virus is spread through droplets, by contact with an infected person or by touching objects or clothing that have come in contact with an infected person. [3] X Source of Study Droplets can be caused by sneezing, coughing, talking, nasal secretions and saliva. [4] X Trusted Source Centers for Disease Contrp and Prevention Go to source
- Wear a mask to prevent secretions from entering your mouth and nose. You should wear a mask when sharing a room with someone who has chickenpox and change your mask often.
- Wear gloves, a gown, and goggles or a mask if the sick person sneezes, coughs, or has nasal discharge. Droplets caused by sneezing can travel through the air for distances of up to 60 meters, so protecting yourself is essential. [5] X Research Sources
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Wash hands before and after contact with sick people. In addition, you should always wash your hands with soap and warm water after touching objects, clothing, or secretions of an infected person [6] X Trusted Source Centers for Disease Contrp and Prevention Go to source
- Wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
- Always remember to rub the back of your hands, between your fingers and under your fingernails.
- If you need time to wash your hands, you can hum “Happy Birthday” twice (about 20 seconds).
- Wash your hands with warm water and dry them with a clean towel or use an automatic dryer to dry your hands.
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Isolate the sick person in a separate room to reduce the risk of virus transmission. Having the patient in a separate room, such as a bedroom, is best. If possible, have the sick person use their own bathroom. [7] X Trusted Source Centers for Disease Contrp and Prevention Go to source
- Have the person with chickenpox wear a mask when leaving their room to go to the bathroom. Sneezing or coughing when leaving the room can also spread the virus.
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Use precautions. Precautions include wearing gowns and gloves when making physical contact with sick people or objects that have been in contact with sick people. [8] X Research Sources
- Wear safety glasses, gloves, and gowns when changing bed sheets, entering the patient’s room, coming into contact with the sick person, or handling the patient’s belongings.
Consider getting the chickenpox vaccine
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Determine if you have ever had chickenpox. If you can’t remember if you’ve had chickenpox, or were born after 1980 and no family members remember, you can go to the doctor for a blood test. This is a test that measures antibodies to chickenpox in the blood. [9] X Research Source
- If you have been exposed to the chickenpox virus and get sick, even if it is mild, there will be antibodies in your blood to protect you from getting chickenpox again.
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Decide whether to get vaccinated. There are some cases when the chickenpox vaccine should not be given due to health problems. [10] X Research Sources Therefore, you should talk to your doctor about your medical history to determine whether the vaccine should be given. In general, the following people should not get the chickenpox vaccine:
- Had an allergic reaction to the first dose of the vaccine
- Pregnant women
- People allergic to Gelatin or Neomycin
- Have an immune disease
- Using high doses of steroids
- Are receiving cancer treatment with X-rays, drugs or chemotherapy
- Have given or received blood within the last 5 months
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Ask your doctor about getting the chickenpox vaccine. Vaccination can protect you from chickenpox. Although most studies have been conducted on vaccination before exposure to the virus, vaccination after exposure has also shown a protective effect. [11] X Research Source However, you should get the vaccine within 5 days of contact with an infected person for best effectiveness. [12] X Research Source
- If you haven’t had chickenpox or been vaccinated, talk to your doctor about getting vaccinated.
- Some people get a mild case of chickenpox after getting the vaccine, have fewer blisters than usual, and usually don’t have a fever. [13] X Credible Sources Centers for Disease Contrp and Prevention Go to the source Vaccines are made from live or weakened viruses themselves. [14] X Research Source
- Young children should be vaccinated at 12-18 months of age and booster at 4-6 years of age. The most common side effect of the vaccine is pain, swelling, or redness at the injection site. A small number of children and adults who receive the vaccine will develop a mild rash around the injection site. [15] X Research Source
Identify risk factors and treatments
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Identify the risk for specific populations of chickenpox. Some people are at higher risk for serious and potentially life-threatening complications. This group of people includes: [16] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to source
- Newborns whose mothers have not had chickenpox or been vaccinated
- Adult
- Pregnant women who have not had chickenpox
- People with weakened immune systems due to taking drugs
- People taking steroids
- People taking immunosuppressive drugs
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Beware of potential complications from severe chickenpox. In some cases, people with chickenpox can develop complications and need urgent medical attention. Complications from Varicella virus infection include, but are not limited to: [17] X Trusted Source Centers for Disease Contrp and Prevention Go to Source[18] X Trusted Source Centers for Disease Contrp and Prevention Go to the source
- Skin or soft tissue infections
- Pneumonia
- Septicemia (Septicemia)
- Toxic shock syndrome
- Bone infection
- Septic arthritis (joint infection)
- Encephalitis (Encephalitis)
- Cerebellar ataxia (inflammation of the cerebellum in the brain)
- Dehydration
- Joint infection
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Talk to your doctor about treatments. Chickenpox treatments are often effective and can be done at home. If you are at high risk and have other illnesses associated with chickenpox, you will need to be hospitalized for secondary infection and supportive treatment. Home remedies will help patients recover more comfortably. [19] X Trusted Source Centers for Disease Contrp and Prevention Go to the source Home remedies for chickenpox include:
- Apply calamine lotion and take a bath with colloidal oatmeal to dry up the blisters and relieve itching.
- Medicines that do not contain aspirin, such as acetaminophen, to reduce fever. Aspirin is thought to cause Reye’s syndrome, a serious illness that can affect the liver and brain, causing death.
- Antiviral drugs for high-risk groups (possibly secondary infections). These drugs include Acyclovir, Valacyclovir, and Famciclovir.
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Know when to get medical attention. If being treated at home, the person needs to know under what circumstances urgent medical care is required. [20] X Trusted Source Centers for Disease Contrp and Prevention Go to the source Call a doctor or get someone with chickenpox to the hospital right away if the person is sick:
- Over 12 years old for preventive care
- Have a weakened immune system
- Pregnant
- Fever lasts more than 4 days
- Fever over 39°C
- The rash becomes red, warm, or tender
- There is discolored discharge from the blisters
- Difficulty waking up or being confused
- Difficulty walking
- Stiff neck
- Vomiting frequently
- Difficulty breathing or coughing a lot
Advice
- Chickenpox is a common childhood illness that is highly contagious, and you need to know how to prevent it if you want to stop the disease from spreading.
- Adults or people with weakened immune systems should learn to take appropriate care and be cautious when dealing with sick people because the consequences will be very dangerous and can be life-threatening.
- Note that a person with shingles (Zona) can also spread chickenpox to someone who has not had it but does not have direct contact. People with shingles are not contagious through droplets. [21] X Trusted Source Centers for Disease Contrp and Prevention Go to the source If you’ve had chickenpox, you can get shingles years or even decades later.
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This article was co-written by Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS. Luba Lee is a licensed family physician practicing in Tennessee. She received her MSN from the University of Tennessee in 2006.
There are 16 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 24,481 times.
Chickenpox is a common childhood illness and is highly contagious. Chickenpox is caused by the Varicella Zoster virus, and the virus usually causes a mild, non-life-threatening illness. However, the disease can still be severe and cause death in many people. Both children and adults can get chickenpox. When caring for someone who is sick, you can still get chickenpox if you’ve never had chickenpox or been vaccinated. It’s best to learn how to prevent the disease to reduce the long-term effects of chickenpox.
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