Chicken pox is a disease caused by infection with the varicella-zoster virus. While chicken pox used to be a common childhood disease, the introduction of an effective vaccine in 1995 has resulted in a 90 percent decrease in the number of cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adults and caregivers of children who exhibit early stages of chicken pox should contact their health care providers for instructions, since prompt initiation of antiviral drugs is recommended for some groups.
Flu-Like Illness
The early stages of chicken pox are notable for constitutional symptoms similar to those of the flu, including fever, fatigue, headache, muscle or joint pain, poor appetite and generalized sense of malaise. Body temperature usually ranges from 100 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Nemours Foundation. This flu-like illness usually starts one to two days before other signs of chicken pox present, and lasts three to five days, disappearing during the later stages of chicken pox, when skin lesions start to crust.
Pain
Pain, like flu-like illness, also marks the early stages of chicken pox. Tingling, burning or aching pain precedes the appearance of the characteristic rash of chicken pox by one or two days, says University of Alabama Medical School Professor Richard J. Whitely, in the 2008 edition of "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine." When blisters do appear, pain typically becomes a constant, dull soreness. When blisters start to crust in the later stages of chicken pox, pain gives way to itching, which may be severe.
Skin Rash
Although many people recognize the diffuse, red, crusty rash that characterizes the later stages of chicken pox, the Nemours Foundation warns that it is easily mistaken for pimples or insect bites during the early stages. The characteristic rash of chicken pox begins as red, raised patches that evolve into bumps, then blisters over the course of a few hours, says Whitely. During its early stages, the rash is often confined to a few areas on the trunk and face, although it later spreads to the entire body, including the scalp, limbs and genitals. After seven to 10 days, according to the CDC, lesions crust, signaling the later stages of infection.
References
- "Harrison's Principes of Internal Medicine, 23rd Edition"; A.S. Fauci et al. (Eds.); 2008
- Nemours Foundation: Chickenpox
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Varicella Disease Questions and Answers
- Nemours Foundation: Chickenpox Information Sheet
