Varicella-zoster Virus Health Video

Chickenpox are caused by the Varicella-Zoster virus, which is closely related to the herpes simplex viruses. Learn more about Varicella-Zoster virus in this health video.

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Receive a vaccination
Take oral anti-viral medications
Consult a physician

About this Author

Dr. Susan McGladdery is a medical graduate from Oxford University in the UK and has a Master's Degree in Medical Sciences from Cambridge University. She has been a member of the Royal College of Physicians since 1991 and a member of the American Academy of Urgent Care since 2006. She trained as a Family Physician in the UK in Oxford and then in London. In a medical career that spans over 20 years, she has worked as a doctor in 5 countries on 3 continents and cared for patients from a multitude of different nationalities and backgrounds. Dr. McGladdery joined FirstMed Centers in mid 2002 and became Regional Medical Director in 2003.

Dr. SUSAN MCGLADERRY: Hello, my name is Dr. Susan McGladdery. I'm the medical director from First Med Centers in Budapest, Hungary. I'd like to give you some information about varicella zoster. The first time when you are infected with varicella-zoster virus it causes chicken pox, a very common childhood infection many countries. Thanks to vaccination in countries like the U.S., the number of cases and hospitalization has fallen dramatically. Where people aren't immune to chicken pox, it's very infectious and spreads easily through air and by physical contact. What are the signs of chicken pox? It starts as a red, itchy rash on the face, the scalp, the chest, and back appearing in fresh crops every few days. It maybe widespread across the entire body, even in the throat, the eyes, and the genital area making it very unpleasant. Usually, the rash appears less than two weeks off to the initial exposure to the virus. There may also be associated fever, abdominal pain, and loss of appetite, sometimes also malaise or irritability and headache. There's often a slight cough and a runny nose in the first two days of the illness before the rash appears. Most people think of chicken pox as a mild disease and for most, that is correct. Chicken pox usually lasts about two weeks and rarely causes complications, but it can be serious and lead complications especially in certain high-risk groups. Newborns and infants whose mother have not had chicken pox or received a vaccine are particularly at risk as are teenagers, adults, and pregnant women, and whom the infection can be quite severe. Also, people with a weak immune system or on steroid medication such as children with asthma, a more likely to have a severe infection. People who have asthma may also get a particularly severe form of chicken pox. The most common complication of chicken pox is a secondary bacterial infection of the skin. It may also be a serious pneumonia or encephalitis, a dangerous brain infection. There is also the risk of later reactivation of chicken pox in a localized form as shingles and this is a common problem in elderly people. The treatment for varicella-zoster or chicken pox, well typically, we don't give the specific medical treatment. But in high-risk groups, oral antiviral medication started early is very important in reducing the severity and the duration of the symptoms. The other thing is prevention also is very worthwhile in the form of vaccination for children and for elderly people, there is a new shingles vaccine available and you should talk to your doctor if you think that this maybe helpful for you.

Varicella-Zoster Virus Health Video

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