Chickenpox is a disease that primarily affects children. The Public Health France site also specifies that there are nearly 700,000 cases of chickenpox each year, with 90% of patients under 10 years old. This viral disease is very contagious because it spreads quickly.
1. How is chickenpox transmitted?
Chickenpox is an infectious disease. It is caused by the varicella zoster virus (VZV), which is a virus in the herpes family. This is a disease that is very contagious. It is transmitted mainly by the respiratory route, through droplets of saliva emitted by an already infected person. These droplets, emitted when coughing, sneezing or even speaking, allow the virus to spread through the air. The virus can also be transmitted by direct contact with pimples caused by chickenpox.
2. The incubation period and contagion time of chickenpox
The incubation period of chickenpox, that is to say the period between the moment of infection and the appearance of the first symptoms, can vary between 10 and 21 days. On average, it lasts more or less two weeks. During this time, there is no indication that the person is infected with the varicella-zoster virus. Infected patients become contagious 24 to 48 hours before the first spots appear. They then remain contagious for about a week, until the spots have dried and scabs have formed. As the Légifrance website specifies, chickenpox is an exclusion diseasesick children cannot therefore be welcomed into the community as long as they are contagious.
3. Symptoms of chickenpox
Symptoms may vary between patients, but chickenpox can be recognized by the following signs:
- the appearance of small red spots all over the body, which quite quickly turn into blisters filled with fluid;
- severe itching;
- a moderate fever;
- sometimes headaches and muscle pain.
The number of chickenpox spots and their locations vary among patients. They disappear after 2 to 3 weeks. The virus remains dormant in the body and can reactivate years later in the form of shingles.
4. How is chickenpox cured?
There is no specific treatment to cure chickenpox; the symptoms eventually disappear on their own after two to three weeks. On the other hand, it is possible to relieve the inconvenience linked to the symptoms. To soothe itching, it is recommended, for example, to apply cold compresses to the spots, or to give a lukewarm bath. Calming lotions or creams may also be recommended by the pharmacist. Antihistamines are prescribed to combat itching, and paracetamol to combat fever. Ibuprofen is contraindicated in cases of chickenpox.
Sources
- Chickenpox, Public Health France, June 17, 2019
- Order of May 3, 1989 relating to the durations and conditions of eviction, prophylactic measures to be taken with regard to students and staff in public and private teaching and education establishments in the event of contagious diseases, Légifrance, 18 March 2024
- To find out everything about chickenpox, mpedia, general public site of the French Association of Ambulatory Pediatrics (AFPA), May 31, 2023