Chickenpox re-infection in children. Is it possible to get chickenpox again? Differences from measles

Chicken pox is extremely contagious disease, which is transmitted by airborne droplets. Most often it occurs in children. After a person manages to fully recover from chickenpox, special antibodies are formed in his body that prevent re-infection. IN medical practice There are cases when people get chickenpox for the second time. This disease has specific symptoms and some features in treatment. When the first signs appear, we strongly recommend that you consult a doctor.

Is it possible to get chickenpox twice?

The main feature of chickenpox as a disease is that even after full recovery pathogenic viruses remain in the human body. They hide in nerve fibers, are in an inactive state and are not capable of causing harm to health. If a person’s immunity decreases, he may develop small local rashes; in case of a serious decrease in protective abilities, reinfection infection. Typically, chickenpox occurs for the second time due to a disruption in the normal production of immunoglobulins - specific antibodies.

Repeated chickenpox can be a common mistake in diagnosis: the symptoms of such smallpox can be easily confused with other viral diseases, which also manifest themselves by the formation of blisters on skin. To date, 8 types of herpes virus have been identified that can cause a rash. More often recurrent chickenpox occurs in people who have had this disease in early childhood. They do not have time to develop enough antibodies, which help form immunity to chickenpox. Experts cannot find the exact causes of recurrent chickenpox.

Symptoms and signs of recurrent chickenpox

The beginning of the development of chickenpox is considered to be the moment when the causative viruses begin to rapidly divide in the body. A few days after the start of this process, a person experiences the appearance of dizziness and headache, after which elevated body temperature and itchy skin are added to these symptoms. The person also begins to suffer from increased fatigue, deterioration of health, decreased activity and vitality. After 2-3 days, small blisters appear on the body, which do not leave the skin for about a week. The mechanism for the development of recurrent chickenpox is as follows:

The state of health deteriorates significantly, body temperature rises, and appetite disappears.
Numerous blisters appear on the skin, which are filled with a cloudy liquid.
Over time, these pimples mature, burst, and pimples remain in their place.
The resulting ulcers become covered with a crust.
Over time, this crust dries out and falls off on its own.

On average, the duration of recurrent chickenpox ranges from 2 to 3 weeks. The exact indicator depends entirely on the state of the person’s immune system, the presence or absence of concomitant chronic diseases. The worse his health, the longer the recurrence of chickenpox will last. When the first symptoms of this disease appear, we strongly recommend that you consult a doctor.

In some cases, people confuse second-time chickenpox with shingles. On initial stages the symptoms of these diseases are similar: a person experiences itching, redness, burning, and small blisters form at the site of the lesion. Unlike chickenpox, shingles spreads in only one area. The filling of such blisters may also differ - there may be pus, blood and other liquid inside them. With chickenpox, the rash can appear over several days, while with herpes zoster it appears very quickly, within a few hours.

Features of repeated chickenpox

Repeated chickenpox is usually much more severe in people than the primary one. They have for a long time the body temperature remains high, which is difficult to bring down with any medications; patients are haunted by severe itching, which does not subside even after treatment with special ointments. At long absence treatment, the patient may develop serious complications, such as partial or total loss vision, postherpetic neuralgia, skin scars.

In some cases, symptoms of chickenpox may remain in a person even after complete recovery. Most often, this spreads to the skin: the patient is forced to endure itching and burning on his body for a long time. Most often, this complication plagues older people and those with significantly weakened immune systems. Other serious consequences may also occur: paralysis facial nerve, hearing loss, encephalitis, staggering when walking. It all depends on what nerve fibers were damaged.

Treatment of secondary chickenpox

Repeated chickenpox requires immediate attention drug treatment. Only it will help speed up the healing process and stop everything unpleasant manifestations diseases. To get rid of high body temperature, anti-inflammatory or antipyretic drugs, such as Paracetamol and its analogues, are prescribed. To relieve discomfort on the skin, it must be constantly treated with regular brilliant green or Fukortsin solution. To reduce the sensation of itching, Suprastin, Tavegil and other glucocorticoid hormones are also prescribed.

After acne appears, a person is forbidden to shower or even wet the skin for three days. wet towel. It will be possible to completely get rid of the rashes only after 203 weeks. To minimize the risk of scars, you must constantly lubricate your body with baby or any other emollient cream. Will help speed up the recovery process bed rest, dairy diet and drinking plenty of fluids. During development severe conditions caused by secondary chickenpox is prescribed complex therapy antiviral drugs such as Gerpevir, Acyclovir or Diazolin.

Prevention measures

To prevent the development of recurrent chickenpox, you must constantly adhere to a series of certain rules. First, you must take good care of your personal hygiene. The skin should be clean and dry, and there should not be any untreated wounds on it for a long time. Secondly, review your wardrobe: it should not contain tight items made of thick or synthetic clothing. Under no circumstances use ointments and creams that cause irritation and allergic reactions. When the first signs of recurrent chickenpox appear, try to visit public places as little as possible.

Chicken pox is an infectious disease with airborne transmission, caused by a virus of the Herpesviridae family and characterized by the obligatory presence of a maculopapular-vesicular rash.

Classification of chickenpox by the nature of the rash

Typical;
Atypical:
- pustular;
- vestigial;
- bullous;
- gangrenous;
- generalized;
- hemorrhagic.

Causes

The chickenpox virus infects exclusively human cells, so the only carrier of the virus can only be a person. This viral disease has its own characteristics. In particular, its virus contains DNA, it is sensitive to exposure ultraviolet irradiation, and it is also easy for him to survive in conditions where the temperature of the environment in which he is located is quite low. Therefore, repeated thawing and freezing processes do not affect it in any way.

The virus has airborne transmission, that is, it spreads from the patient while he talks, coughs, sneezes, kisses, etc. Patients with chickenpox are able to infect other people approximately 20-24 hours before the rash appears and until the 5th day when the last rash was recorded. The chickenpox virus quickly dies in the external environment - under the influence of sunlight and ultraviolet irradiation. In the open air, the virus lives for about 10 minutes.

How long does chickenpox remain contagious?

The number of days that you can become infected affects not only the degree of infection of the carrier of the infection, but also the immunity of those potentially infected; with weak immunity, you can pick up almost absent particles of infection residues, with strong immunity- perhaps overcome a small attack of the virus. Also, with a high degree of immune protection in the sick person, the disease will leave him sooner, and the period of spread will decrease significantly.

In average statistical indicators and according to results laboratory research, it was determined that on average, chickenpox remains infectious for about 10-12 days from the day the virus enters the body. However, it should be remembered that safety measures related to protection against infection are never superfluous. Incubation period according to data scientific medicine- ranges from 10 to 21 days from the day of infection, contagious chicken pox remains after about 5 days, after the most recent ulcer has appeared and covered with a crust.

The contagiousness of chickenpox exceeds many other infectious diseases. At the same time, infection can only be achieved through very close contact, through airborne droplets; the patient should not be allowed to cough or sneeze in the presence of a person who has not yet had chickenpox.

Symptoms

Chickenpox occurs in 4 periods: incubation, prodrome, rash period and crust formation period.

The incubation period for chickenpox lasts: from 13 to 17 days for patients under 30 years of age, and from 11 to 21 days for patients over 30 years of age.

Myself incubation period, may have varying degrees duration, depending on the body’s preparedness to fight infection of a particular organism. The time and severity of the disease, as well as the period of contagiousness, are also different.

The prodromal period begins approximately one day before the rash: fever, pain in the lumbar region, headache. In children, there is most often no prodromal period, and the disease is expressed by the appearance of a rash.

How does chickenpox begin and what are its first signs?

Most children develop rashes without any problems. general condition, the manifestations of fever coincide with the appearance of the rash, since the rash appears in waves, in several stages. In adults, the rashes are more often massive, at the same time the temperature rises, and severe itching appears.

Initially, the rash appears as small spots, which literally after a few hours transform into a vesicle (vesicle) with redness around it. After two or three days, the vesicle bursts and dries out, and gradually becomes covered with a dense crust.

Considering that the rashes appear at intervals of one or two days, a rash can be observed on the skin at the same time different stages development (spot, nodule, vesicle, crust).

Exist various shapes of this disease. Chicken pox can be typical or atypical in form. The typical form of chickenpox is also divided into several types, such as mild, moderate and severe.

When a person has a mild form of chickenpox, in general he does not feel so bad. His body temperature does not exceed 38°. On the skin there is relatively little a large number of rashes, but not at all small amount rashes are present on the mucous membranes. The rash only appears for 2 to 4 days.

If the patient has a moderate form of this infectious disease, then there is slight intoxication in his body. The onset of chickenpox is also characterized elevated temperature, but there are much more rashes on the body than in the first case. They occur over a period of more than long period time, from 4 to 5 days approximately. In addition, the rash is itchy. When the blisters on the skin begin to dry out, the patient's general condition becomes more satisfactory, and his body temperature also returns to normal.

If the patient has a severe form of chickenpox, the rash is present in large quantities, and not only on the skin, but also on the mucous membranes of the eyes, mouth, nose and genitals. Rashes will appear on the patient’s body within a week, or even more. The temperature will be quite high. The patient's health will be so poor that he may experience such negative reactions body symptoms such as vomiting, trouble sleeping and lack of appetite.

Atypical forms of an infectious disease such as chickenpox can be of several types. These are rudimentary forms, as well as forms with non-standard symptoms and complications.

Most often, the rudimentary form of chickenpox occurs in children when they are only a few months old. It is characterized by the fact that they develop a small rash on their skin. At the same time, chickenpox in this form has practically no effect on the deterioration of the child’s well-being. The temperature may not rise above normal levels.

Forms of the disease with severe symptoms, that is, aggravated ones, are observed quite rarely. Usually those children who are weakened and have altered immunity are susceptible to them. For example, these could be children who have leukemia, or who have been long period time was treated with steroid hormones. This type of chickenpox can end in death.

Another form of atypical chickenpox is generalized. She is accompanied by fever and increased degree intoxication, a large amount of rash, which is located not only on the skin and mucous membranes, but also on the internal organs.

If the patient has hemorrhagic form hemorrhages begin in the skin and mucous membranes, cases of nosebleeds and hemorrhages in internal organs are common.

The gangrenous form means the presence of a symptom such as the appearance of dry gangrene simultaneously with the appearance of rashes, after which a deep ulcer remains after it falls off.

Diagnostics

Diagnosing chickenpox most often does not present any difficulties. The diagnosis is made based on clinical manifestations, taking into account epidemiology.

Treatment

During the entire febrile period, bed rest is mandatory. When treating chickenpox, antipyretic drugs and detoxification therapy are prescribed; if skin itching is present, antihistamines are indicated.

Suprastin: used for skin itching, urticaria, eczema, allergies, conjunctivitis. Available in the form of tablets, solution for intravenous and intramuscular injection. In tablet form, it should be taken three times a day, adults 75 milligrams per day, children 6.5 ml per day or half a tablet 2 times a day. The solution is made 1-2 ampoules per muscle for adults, half an ampoule for children. Suprastin should be used with caution in the elderly, people with impaired renal or liver function, and those who are underweight.

Tavegil - exists in the form of syrup, injections and tablets. Used for skin itching, urticaria, eczema. Taken orally 2 times a day, 1 mg for persons over 12 years of age. Up to 12 years: 0.5 mg 2 times a day. Injections are carried out intravenously or intramuscularly, 2 ml once a day.

Many people believe that it is wrong to smear chickenpox with brilliant green, since it is an alcohol-based antiseptic that dries out the skin greatly. Another disadvantage is that it stains bed linen and is quite difficult to wash. The advantage is that the brilliant green is clearly visible on the child, thanks to this it is possible to control the number of newly appeared spots. In addition to brilliant green, there are many other remedies, as in folk medicine, and among drugs. Many of them are much more effective than solution brilliant green.

How to apply chickenpox (except brilliant green)

The most common and inexpensive remedy which helps better than green stuff, that's five percentage solution potassium permanganate. It dries out pimples and relieves itching, and can be used an unlimited number of times a day.
Fukortsin - consists of boric acid, resorcinol, basic fuchsin, pure phenol, ethyl alcohol and distilled water. Take it with a cotton swab a small amount of of the drug and applied to “pimples” 4 times a day. After the product has dried, you can apply ointment on top of it. The product does not have a color that is very distinctive from the skin of sores, so it is not particularly noticeable.
Methylene blue - has Blue colour, washes off well from skin and things. For treatment, a 0.5-3 percent solution is used to lubricate the rash.
Salicylic alcohol is much more effective than brilliant green. Used to treat skin diseases, skin lesions. This tool applied to the affected area using a cotton swab or cotton swab 3 times a day.
“Zindol” contains zinc oxide, which acts as a drying and anti-inflammatory agent. It looks like a suspension from which you can make your own ointment for chickenpox. To do this, you need to put the bottle in a dark place and leave it for several days until a thick substance appears at the bottom. Then you should drain top part, leaving only a thickened sediment. This ointment can also be applied to affected areas of the skin. Apply this product to the skin about 6 times a day.

How to smear chickenpox in the mouth of adults. Chickenpox in oral cavity accompanied by difficulty swallowing and the possibility of spreading infection throughout respiratory tract. To prevent this from happening, you should protect yourself with medications.

The mouth should be rinsed four times a day and always after meals. A solution of soda will help with this, which needs to be poured into a glass of water in the amount of two hundred grams. You can also add a weak solution of potassium permanganate, a decoction of herbs to the water: chamomile, yarrow, dandelion, sage; sodium sulfate, furatsilin, calendula or propolis tincture.

Anesthetic gels are used as an anesthetic, these include Kalgel or Kamistad. Calgel in an amount of 7 mm is applied to cotton swab and spread on the affected areas of the mouth no more than 6 times a day before meals. Kamistad contains the components lidocaine and chamomile flower extract. The product is applied to the affected areas of the mouth in the form of a 0.5 cm strip and rubbed. The procedure should be carried out three times a day.

You can smear chickenpox in your mouth with a solution of boric acid three times a day. By using sea buckthorn oil or dental paste forms on the affected areas protective layer, which will speed up healing and protect the oral cavity for four hours.

What is the best way to apply chickenpox? It is best to apply products that will quickly dry out the sores and disinfect them. In addition to the above remedies, there are also various balms, creams, gels, lotions and ointments for chickenpox. All of them help relieve itching. Lotions have a soothing and cooling effect and prevent the rash from spreading across the skin. Ointments act as an antiviral, antipruritic and anti-inflammatory agent. Gels are anti-edema, antipruritic and local anesthetic agents. The gel has a cooling effect.

If you get chickenpox premature baby or a patient with a weakened immune system, then prescribed antiviral drugs. Careful hygiene is mandatory: taking baths with weak solution manganese, wearing ironed linen. To prevent scratching of blisters and infection, trim your nails.

The areas affected by chickenpox are treated with a disinfectant solution. If ulcers appear, antibiotics are prescribed. In order to speed up the falling off of crusts, ultraviolet irradiation is indicated.

A specific method of preventing chickenpox is vaccination, which provides lasting immunity to the disease for many years.

What does chickenpox look like in children during recovery?

When the time comes for recovery, the rash begins to crust over and fall off without anyone's help. This situation speaks of correct treatment; usually, after the crusts fall off, not a trace of the disease remains on the body.

Chickenpox treatment is usually done on an outpatient basis. You should make sure that the child does not scratch the spots, try in every possible way to distract him from this; small children can wear special soft gloves on their hands. If the rash begins to fester, which usually happens when scratching, then the doctor will prescribe antibiotics. Be sure to provide the child with rest and bed rest. During illness, the baby should not be washed, as this may complicate the course of the disease; bedding should be changed as often as possible. Bathing can only be done in a bath with potassium permanganate for a few minutes; you can also take a shower, but not for long. A large amount of fluid will help with treatment.

If the child's body temperature is more than 38 degrees, antipyretic drugs based on paracetamol should be given. By using antihistamines itching can be reduced. To disinfect the rash, the bubbles can be burned with brilliant green, and in this way you can also identify new spots that have appeared.

Complications of chickenpox

Quite rarely, in about 5% of cases, complications occur after chickenpox. As a rule, the disease is severe in adults with primary infection, in people with a weakened immune system, and also in infants. The most common complication is various skin infections- they develop if the wounds are scratched and bacteria penetrate into them, and can be quite serious and require long-term treatment. Pneumonia, transient arthritis, hepatitis and encephalitis may develop. The latter is one of the most dangerous options complications - inflammation of the brain, or encephalitis, can be caused by joining bacterial infection, or the virus entering the central nervous system. In the future, encephalitis can cause paralysis, visual and sensory impairment, and some other neurological disorders.

Chickenpox is of little danger to pregnant women - the risk of complications is quite small when infected before 20 weeks, after which there is practically no risk for the child. However, if infection occurs in last week before childbirth, there is a risk of congenital chickenpox in the child, which is always quite severe.

Prevention of chickenpox

Prevention of chickenpox, however, is still controversial issue in medicine. Some doctors do not consider it necessary, but it is still better to be prepared and know how to protect yourself from chickenpox.

The only way to help protect yourself from chickenpox, and that works 100%, is complete isolation from the source of the disease. However, this is practically impossible, because the patient is already contagious at the moment when there are no external manifestations it will not be possible to notice; but you need to remember that from the moment the crusts dry, the risk of infection is reduced to zero.

If there is a sick person in the family, it is necessary not to forget that the disease is easily transmitted by airborne droplets, which means that even in the absence direct contact you can get infected. Gauze masks and respirators can reduce the risk. The patient must be in separate room, all hygiene products, as well as cups, plates and other utensils must be individual. It is possible to use a quartz home lamp, but you must carefully follow the instructions.

Due to the fact that children are younger school age They tolerate the disease quite easily; parents sometimes try to provoke contact between their child and the patient.

Since the seventies of the last century, the vaccine against chickenpox has been successfully and very effectively used - now the main prevention of chickenpox in children and adults is precisely this. Vaccination is especially recommended for pregnant women, patients after chemotherapy and people with a weakened immune system. The vaccination can also be done in the first three days after contact with the patient. In the event that an adult does not remember whether he had chickenpox, and there is no way to find out, it is better to play it safe and also get vaccinated.

No matter how insignificant the disease chickenpox may seem, prevention must be carried out. It is worth remembering that the main prevention of chickenpox in adults and children is maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Correct balanced diet, regular exercise and the absence of bad habits will help keep the immune system in order, because it is responsible for how susceptible our body is to viruses and infections.

Is it possible to get chickenpox again?

"Lifelong immunity" after past illness due to the fact that the virus itself Varicella zoster- remains forever in the body in an amount not sufficient to cause an infection or infect surrounding people, but it is its presence that forces the body to constantly produce antibodies to fight chickenpox, which is why it is believed that the body of a person who has already been sick once - has antibodies always ready to fight, which means it is untouchable for this virus. There is an assumption that it is these particles of virus remnants that can serve to develop an infection such as shingles (which is considered to be the second chickenpox), this assumption has been made due to the fact that these two infections are based on the same virus Varicella zoster and can be related to one another, in addition, a person suffering from shingles can infect another person with chickenpox, which is proven by relatives family ties these two infectious diseases. Shingles, unlike chickenpox itself, tends to appear many times, two, three or more, and may even acquire chronic form, at improper treatment and neglect of safety measures.

There is an opinion that chickenpox is a “children’s” disease, but shingles is a problem for the older generation, but this opinion is erroneous. Both diseases can strike at any age. The disease is considered a childhood disease, since this infection constantly circulates in various institutions intended for children, and in addition, chickenpox can be transferred to childhood it is even useful, since a “lifelong” immunity to this type of virus appears; at a more mature age, there are undoubtedly cases of diseases, but they are much more difficult to tolerate and have more consequences for the general condition of the body, as well as its appearance. Of course, if we consider separately cases of herpes zoster, older people are more likely to get sick, but the disease is much more severely tolerated than chickenpox in any age period.

It should be noted that cases of re-infection with chickenpox in the same form as originally were found in medical practice. Such repeated infections can be called exceptions rather than the rule. However, a person who was ill once in childhood can still be infected again. All symptoms, as well as the number of days of the incubation period and the course of the disease, will be the same, however, in most cases, the infection occurs in a milder and weakened form, and does not carry with it serious consequences, much less complications.

Chickenpox during pregnancy

Cases of morbidity during pregnancy are quite rare: 0.005-0.007 as a percentage. Fertilized women get sick no more often or more severely than non-pregnant adults, but when complicated by pneumonia (9-22%), mortality can reach 14-30-42%.

If a woman catches chickenpox while pregnant, she needs to know about the consequences. The virus enters the fetus through the placenta. How dangerous this is for the child depends on the period at which the disease occurred:

First weeks - high probability miscarriage. Just at this time everything begins to form important organs, and any disease can cause harm. The virus affects the development of the cerebral cortex, can provoke cataracts, and there is also a possibility of developing limb hypoplasia. The probability of fetal underdevelopment is about 2 percent.

In general, the second trimester can be characterized by the fact that the risk for the woman and fetus is quite high, but decreases slightly; relative to the first trimester (1.5 percent), the child can get congenital chickenpox syndrome.

If the disease occurs in the period from the thirteenth to the twentieth week, it is possible to get a child with this congenital syndrome chickenpox - increases to 3-5 percent. More details about this syndrome: observed birth defects in a newborn, such as scarred skin, deformed limbs, a smaller head than normal, and congenital visual defects. Not full development unfortunate children, entails lifelong consequences, in the future the kids suffer from seizures, get the makings of all kinds of mental and physical abnormalities for different stages development. In the second trimester of pregnancy, the death of the embryo in the womb, as well as miscarriage, is still possible.

After 20 weeks, chickenpox does not have such a terrible effect on the fetus. Nevertheless, control over the course of the process is necessary - a specialist, namely a doctor. If a woman gets chickenpox at the beginning of the third trimester, more likely that the child will not suffer any consequences. After about five days from the moment of infection, the body begins to produce antibodies to viral particles, and also, through the placenta, protects the fetus with them, which preserves the safe development of the child (since the fetus itself does not have a sufficiently developed immune system to protect itself on its own).

The most risky period during fruiting for chickenpox is the last five days before the onset of labor and the first couple of days after the birth of the baby. Since in this case the newborn is exposed to the virus, but does not have enough time to receive and protect itself with maternal T-lymphocytes (antibodies to fight the virus). In the last week before birth, chickenpox becomes the most dangerous for the health and safety of the child, since the newborn gets the disease, which poses a huge risk.

According to statistics, in 30 cases out of a hundred, a child gets neonatal chickenpox, which is dangerous to the health of the newborn and even his life if the disease is not treated in time. This infection is fatal. For pregnant women with chickenpox, in addition to the danger to the fetus, there are also unhappy prospects for herself; against the background of chickenpox, pneumonia can form, a rather disappointing statistic: in 15 cases out of a hundred, the disease leads to the development of pneumonia, which poses a terrible threat to female body(up to fatal outcome before, after, and also probably during childbirth). We do not ignore the risk of giving birth before term. There is a significant tendency to easily get pneumonia in this state - it occurs in the third trimester of gestation. Of course, smokers are more likely to get complications compared to expectant mothers who do not smoke.

Treatment of chickenpox in pregnant women

As soon as you notice the first signs of chickenpox, consult a doctor immediately. Most likely, you will be prescribed immunoglobulin; it helps the body cope with the virus on its own, weakening the force of its impact. If you do not want to get complications in purulent form- don’t even think about allowing yourself to scratch the rashes! If you are suffering from severe, unbearable itching, the doctor should prescribe you antihistamines. Rashes should be treated with green paint. Excellent auxiliary, in the treatment of chickenpox in pregnant women, Acyclovir has proven itself, making it easier for women to endure this infection with the least discomfort and itching. At high temperatures, you can use drugs based on paracetamol (Before use, you must study the instructions in detail).

Varicella or chickenpox - acute infectious form a disease the course of which is accompanied by a characteristic rash all over the skin. The infection is transmitted by airborne droplets; a child who has caught the bacillus can infect a healthy person two days before the first rash appears. Most people believe that chickenpox is a one-time disease, however, there are situations when chickenpox occurs again in children. In this article we will analyze the reasons for the formation of a recurrent disease in children, its symptoms and process.

Etiology of the disease

The disease is caused by the bacterium herpes virus. The virus is transmitted by airborne droplets, and when strong flow Airborne chickenpox can be transmitted at a distance of up to 20 centimeters. A child who has already become ill with the herpes virus can infect healthy children within the first 7 days after the rash develops. The incubation period of the pathology lasts up to 21 days. The photo shows what a rash on the skin of a sick child looks like

For information! Bacteria of the disease have low resistance to manifestations external environment, therefore, after the patient has been in the room, final disinfection is not carried out.

The main sources of transmission of an infectious disease virus include:

airborne - transmitted when the patient’s saliva gets on the affected area of the skin, when coughing, sneezing, or kissing;
from a pregnant woman to her fetus if the woman has had chickenpox or herpes zoster.

The virus spreads throughout the body using lymph, passes under the skin, is absorbed into the blood, where it begins to multiply. Like any viral disease, chickenpox can suppress the immune system in a child, affecting his humoral background, as a result of which innate resistance to viruses is impaired. Experts say it is impossible to become infected with chickenpox a second time, because... After suffering the virus, our body receives lifelong immunity. But in medical practice, it is possible to get chickenpox again. This is due to the fact that the smallpox bacterium remains forever in the epithelial cells, and when the virus is activated against the background weak immunity Chickenpox may reoccur.

As a rule, the second time smallpox manifests itself in the form of herpes zoster or, as it is also called, shingles. If a child manages to get chickenpox twice, as a rule, the incubation period and symptoms of the disease go away easier. If similar signs of pathology are detected in a child, it is recommended to consult a doctor, because the rash may be a manifestation of another disease.

For information! Anyone can get chickenpox a second time if the number of antibodies to the herpes virus in the body is low.

Symptoms of a viral infection during re-infection

If a child manages to get chickenpox 2 times in a row or with a certain period of time, the symptoms of the disease do not differ, they are the same as during the first infection. As a rule, chickenpox in children is accompanied by symptoms such as:

expansion of the capillary with subsequent formation of spots on the skin;
due to serous edema, a papule is formed;
the formation of a transparent bubble, which confirms the pathological process;
a sharp increase in body temperature to 39C degrees;
loss of appetite;
severe headaches;
intoxication of the body;
the appearance of severe itching.

For information! Symptoms of smallpox can appear in the form of a rash not only on the skin, but also on the mucous membrane.

Thus, the symptoms are repeated in the same way as during the first infection, but they are much easier. The resulting bubbles are 2 mm, then they become covered with crusts, which disappear within 2 weeks. It is worth noting that chicken pox can occur with complications that manifest themselves in different forms development:

gangrenous;
bullous;
hemorrhagic.

The photo shows the bullous form of the disease, which has complications in the form of small suppurations

For information! Repeated smallpox can occur in children who have had this virus in the first year of their life.

No symptoms

The absence of symptoms in smallpox is sufficient a rare event. Typically, with a virus, one symptom may be mild or absent altogether. For example, the disease may occur without fever or without a rash on the skin. In medical practice, there are cases when parents did not detect the presence of a rash, itching and fever, but clinical analysis showed the presence of a pathogen in the blood. Therefore, it does not matter how intense the symptoms were when the virus entered the body. It is important to understand that if the virus has already entered the lymph, the immune system developed a defense.

You can learn more about the course of the disease from the video

Re-infection with chickenpox in children is possible under conditions of reduced immunity. The course of the disease is the same as during primary infection, the only difference is that the patient tolerates the disease more easily, and the immune system forms antibodies.

Varicella, commonly called "chickenpox" is infection, caused by the Varicella Zostor virus of the herpes virus family. This infection is transmitted by airborne droplets or through household items. The source of the disease is an infected person.

In some cases, for the first few days, the carrier of the infection may not be aware that he is spreading chickenpox, because he only feels a general malaise in the body and fatigue. Loss or decreased appetite may also occur. The incubation period after infection can last from one week to three. The first signal that a person has contracted chickenpox is a characteristic rash that covers the entire body and causes itching.

There is no complete cure for the virus that causes chickenpox. It can only be drowned out. Treatment involves relieving symptoms or the severity of the disease until the immune system produces the necessary antibodies to fight the virus.

Most often, chickenpox is contracted in childhood, as the virus is extremely contagious. The disease in children under seven years of age occurs in more than mild form and much faster than in adults. Their illness progresses slowly, severely and can lead to serious complications.

Scientists have still not agreed on the possibility of reinfection with chickenpox.

Some people believe that it is impossible to get chickenpox twice. And diagnoses confirming otherwise are erroneous. Some diseases caused by the herpes virus are initially very similar to chickenpox. There are differences in the rashes of these diseases, but they can be almost invisible. The result is an error in diagnosis.
Other scientists and doctors mistake shingles for a secondary infection with chickenpox. They believe that the causative agent of these infections is the same, therefore, the disease is the same, they just manifest themselves a little differently.

So, let’s take into account that there is still a possibility of getting chickenpox a second time. Who is at risk in this case and who is more likely to get secondary infection? The answer is simple.

Anyone who, for one reason or another, has a reduced immune system, namely:

people infected with HIV;
cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy; those who are experiencing severe stress;
people who have suffered serious illnesses, weakened long-term use medicines or having chronic diseases;
pregnant women;
people who donate blood regularly or who have lost a lot of blood after some incident.

The causative agent of chickenpox remains in the human body for the rest of his life after the first time he suffered the disease.
Repeatedly, the patient becomes ill with herpes zoster, which is a type of chickenpox and is caused by the same pathogen.
Shingles is the development of an exacerbation caused by any provoking factors that lower immunity and force the “dormant” virus to “wake up”.
If the disease is repeated, then it is very difficult with possible complications.
If characteristic rashes appear during pregnancy, this can cause congenital pathologies fetus In this case, it is recommended to terminate the pregnancy in the first trimester.

Although the symptoms of the disease are more pronounced and severe the second time, the treatment is practically no different from what was used the first time.

First of all, to stabilize the patient’s condition, it is necessary to reduce the temperature with antipyretic drugs. It rises very strongly during secondary infection with chickenpox.

Itching is relieved with antihistamines and sedatives. Antiviral drugs are also taken to treat chickenpox. The patient should follow a diet and diet, refrain from spicy and salty foods.

Water procedures are permitted if the patient’s condition has stabilized and the temperature has decreased. The time spent in the shower should be reduced to a minimum. The use of washcloths and sponges is prohibited.

A solution of brilliant green (“zelenka”) in this case plays the role of a marker and helps to monitor the development of the disease, in particular, skin rashes.

Summarizing all of the above, we can say that most experts agree that this is possible. But this will no longer be the disease itself - chicken pox, but its close relative - herpes zoster, which is considered a reaction to an exacerbation and decrease in immunity. This is explained by the fact that the virus that causes chickenpox can settle in the human body only once. The immune system forms antibodies against this disease once and for all, muting the disease.

You can protect yourself from getting sick again if you worry about your health, eat right, and saturate your body with everything essential vitamins and minerals. Good immunity will not allow the virus to “wake up” and cause new “disorders” in the body.

Is it possible to get chickenpox again? — Doctor Komarovsky (video)

7 COMMENTS

I heard that people who had chickenpox in early childhood and in a mild form can still become infected again. I agree about the symptoms of herpes, there are very similar symptoms, but usually herpes breaks out in a specific area, and not all over the body. Even if it is possible to get sick again, I don’t think that we can somehow protect ourselves from this; after all, the virus is transmitted by airborne droplets.

Almost all people have had chickenpox in early childhood. There is an opinion that adults tolerate chickenpox much worse than children. Is this so, it is better to ask the doctors. And about re-infection with this disease, the doctors themselves cannot really say anything.

Chickenpox in adults is a very real thing today. There are many reasons why adults get this disease. The main one, in my opinion, is the deterioration of the environmental situation and, as a result, a decrease in people’s immunity. Every 10th case of the disease is in adults.

Now no one can answer this question. This requires conducting fairly detailed surveys of the population and medical personnel. Chickenpox, like any other disease, can develop over time various reasons. Therefore, the question of recurrent illness is quite natural.

Yes, it is indeed possible to get chickenpox a second time, albeit in a slightly different form, and parents in whose families have many small children know this firsthand. And the way out of this situation is quite standard, you definitely need to get vaccinated against this disease and strengthen your immunity proper nutrition, vitamin complexes and the normal rhythm of life.

I have repeatedly heard that people who have had chickenpox can become infected again over time. In my opinion, this is due to the fact that the virus mutates and changes, so the immunity that was previously developed becomes irrelevant.

As a child, I had chickenpox at age two and four. And now I’m 34 and my daughter contracted chickenpox at school, infecting my son and, accordingly, me... I couldn’t believe my eyes when I realized that I was sick. It was terrible! And what a shock my mother was in.

Chickenpox is mistakenly considered only a childhood disease that is suffered once and never returns. Infection with chickenpox in adults is also possible if the person has not had this disease in childhood. It is highly contagious, easily transmitted by airborne droplets and is characterized by an increase in temperature with a rash of vesicular pimples, inside of which there is purulent fluid.

Many people are interested in the question: can an adult get chickenpox again? There are many stories about people getting sick with smallpox twice, and even strong immunity did not help them. There are exceptions to all rules, but in order to understand the issue of re-infection, you should study the disease and understand what it is.

In this article you will learn:

Reasons for the recurrence of chickenpox in adults

The causative agent of this disease is the herpes virus, which is active in the human body and can be transmitted transplacentally, through the air, or through contact with blisters on the skin of a sick person.

The most interesting thing is that chickenpox has a long incubation period, at the end of which there is no severe symptoms, but the person is already contagious. Thus, he, without knowing it, infects others.

There is an opinion that chicken pox permanently forms a person’s immunity to it. That is, when a child or adult becomes infected, his nerve tissue The pathogen remains, but in small quantities. It cannot spread to others or cause an exacerbation, but it helps to produce antibodies to it. But there are still cases where chickenpox developed again in an adult. Basically, the disease can return to 5% of patients.

Why is this happening? Certain conditions can activate a suppressed virus in the human body:

Weak immunity. If a person's immune system weakens, the body cannot fight many diseases and produces virtually no antibodies. The risk group includes people with weakened immune systems and people with HIV.
Dangerous diseases. Various chronic diseases and oncology affect the possibility of recurrent disease. If the patient is undergoing chemotherapy or taking hormonal agents, he is also at risk.
Emotional stress. Stress and nervous breakdowns, mental problems can easily bring chickenpox back.
Taking antibiotics that destroy not only pathogenic bacteria, but also beneficial microorganisms.

Re-infection occurs quite rarely, but it cannot be ruled out. Shingles is often associated with chickenpox that has returned. It is caused by the same herpes virus, can develop into a chronic form and can be treated more strong drugs. A person who has shingles can infect others with chickenpox.

How do the symptoms of recurrent chickenpox manifest?

Repeated chickenpox in adults occurs more severely and has a shorter incubation period. In general, less than two weeks are enough for the first signs to appear after infection:

Weakness and headache.
Cold symptoms: sore throat, slight fever, possible runny nose.
Pain and aches in joints and muscles.
Loss of appetite.
Lack of sleep.
Pain in the eyes, discomfort when moving the pupils.

Then characteristic spots appear on the body, which after a few hours turn into blisters with a cloudy liquid. For about a week, the body will be covered with more and more new rashes, which may also appear on the human mucosa.

When chickenpox returns, the symptoms are more severe in adults. In particular, in humans there is a sharp and long-term increase temperature, and the itching can be unbearable.

In addition, the following features are added:

nausea with vomiting;
sound sensitivity, pain in the eyes in bright light;
lack of coordination of movements;
acne suppuration;
rash on mucous membranes;
the addition of a bacterial disease.

Re-infection often occurs in the form of herpes zoster, which is much more severe. Before the blisters appear, a person experiences tingling, itching and burning on the body. Pimples are very small and painful, they are located next to each other and are filled with pus or blood. It is noteworthy that they cover only a certain area of the body - the chest and back.

The rash goes away within two weeks, leaving behind. In some cases, it may return, which indicates low immunity.

Specifics of treatment

If chickenpox appears for the second time in an adult, you should immediately consult a doctor. This will speed up the healing process and avoid sudden negative symptoms or complications. The main goal The therapist’s job is to alleviate the patient’s condition during the peak period and help cope with the virus.

To do this, the doctor may prescribe several different medications:

Antipyretics. They allow you to reduce high temperature body and relieve some pain.
Zelenka, creams, solutions or gels for neutralization pain. Lubricate acne once a day, which can even reduce it.
Antiviral drugs. With their help, you can somewhat stop the spread of the virus in the body.

In some cases, doctors may prescribe medications to soothe itching that have a slight hypnotic effect. Also, during severe conditions, strong antibiotics are recommended.

During treatment, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

Do not swim or shower, or wet acne with water during the acute period;
do not scratch the blisters;
you should drink a lot and follow a high-quality dairy diet;
Bed rest is also important.

To prevent the formation of scars, you need to lubricate the skin with nourishing creams.

If a person is very ill and his condition worsens, he should immediately consult a doctor. It is possible that hospitalization and the use of stronger drugs will be required.

What not to do when sick

Recurrence of chickenpox in adults is a rare occurrence that does occur. If not treated with special drugs, may occur various kinds complications.

Preventing re-infection with chickenpox

To prevent chickenpox from developing in adults a second time, it is imperative to take certain preventive measures. Among them, the most effective is vaccination, which allows you to maximally protect a person from the herpes virus. It is also recommended for those who are planning to conceive a child.

To avoid the development of the disease, you can adhere to other preventive measures.

Despite the availability of preventive measures, there is not a single recipe that will help avoid the disease. But maintaining hygiene and healthy image life will minimize the risk of re-infection.

Possible complications

Repeated chickenpox is much more dangerous, as it occurs against the background of reduced immunity. She has a number enough serious complications, which depends on the course of chickenpox and how the treatment is carried out:

To prevent the development of complications, it is necessary to consult a doctor who will select correct diagnosis. People with severe illness, pregnant women or the elderly should be hospitalized.

Doctors' opinion

Recurrent chickenpox is a rare exception, which occurs mainly in people after 25 years of age. It is caused by reduced immunity or chronic disease, bad habits, other factors. If a person does not want to take care of himself and constantly ignores the body’s signals, he is at risk.

Doctors recommend not to panic, but to immediately contact professional help. The sooner it is scheduled effective treatment, the better it will help. Despite the more pronounced symptoms, this disease can be treated and does not leave any consequences.

Experts insist that you should not self-medicate, as it can lead to severe consequences and harm your health.

Results

Chickenpox leaves behind antibodies that protect the human body. But in some cases they don't work. The risk group mainly includes people with reduced immunity, as well as those suffering from chronic diseases. Therefore, it is possible for older people to become infected again, and this is a fact. But it’s important to choose on time correct treatment to avoid serious consequences.