Can I get chickenpox a second time?
Chickenpox is a highly contagious infection that most often occurs in childhood. Most cases of this disease are noted in children from 2 to 7-10 years, since their susceptibility to the pathogen of chickenpox (Varicella Zoster virus) is the highest. However, such an infection occurs in babiesand in adolescents and in adulthood. And the older a person is, the more dangerous chickenpox is for his health.
As a rule, children tolerate chickenpox easily, and moderate form is less common. Many babies have a slightly worse overall condition. temperature body rises to 37-38 degrees, and the rash is represented by only one wave and a small number of bubbles. In such a situation, each mother wonders whether it is possible to get sick with chickenpox a second time.
Is it possible to get infected again
Most of the children who have had chicken pox form strong immunity, which remains until the end of life. Formed during the acute phase of infection, the antibodies protect the child from reinfection later. That's why many people think that chickenpox is sick only once in a lifetime.
However, in rare cases, the disease recurs, and the child may have had twice the disease. 1–3% of people who have recovered from childhood have all the symptoms of chicken pox, which makes it necessary to recognize re-infection.
Opinion Komarovsky
The well-known pediatrician confirms that recurrent chicken pox, although rare, occurs. He encountered such cases in his own practice and notes that the second chickenpox occurs most often in a mild form.
For more on this, see Dr. Komarovsky’s program.
Causes of recurrent chickenpox
The most common cause of the second infection with the Varicella Zoster virus is represented by reduced immunity. If the body of a child or an adult is unable to fight the pathogen and the number of antibodies in the blood decreases, the risk of second varicella zoster increases.
That is why re-infection is possible in:
- Children with HIV infection.
- Children and adults with cancer and chemotherapy.
- Children who have suffered a serious illness.
- Toddlers with chronic pathologies.
- Children who took long-term drugs that weakened their bodies.
- Children who have experienced significant blood loss, as well as in adult donors.
Another reason for the emergence of "re" chickenpox is the wrong diagnosis in the first case.
Since chickenpox is often diagnosed only on the basis of an external examination, and tests are not performed to confirm the correctness of such a diagnosis, there are cases when the doctor makes a mistake and takes another infection for chicken pox that occurs with a rash and fever.
Chicken Pox Symptoms
As with the first infection, the disease begins with non-specific signs, which include sore throat, headache, weakness, and similar symptoms. Next, the child's temperature rises, although it may remain within the normal range. Overall health deteriorates.
On the same or the next day, a rash forms on the baby’s skin. Its mass character may be inferior to the number of rashes at the first disease.New bubbles appear within two to seven days, but sometimes the rash is limited to one “wave”.
First they lookas small red spots, which after a few hours become papules (such elements of the rash are very similar to mosquito bites), and then quickly converted into single-chamber vesicles with a clear or turbid liquid. Such a rash is quite itchy and gives the child discomfort.
Such pimples will soon burst, and the crust appears on the emerging sores. Over time, they dry up and fall off, leaving no traces (if not combed). From the moment a spot appears on the skin until the formation of a crust, it takes an average of 1-2 days, and a complete cleansing of the skin from the crusts takes place in two to three weeks.
Differences from measles
Like chickenpox, measles is a viral infection that occurs in childhood and is transmitted by airborne droplets. Both pathologies occur with fever and rash. Another similarity between chickenpox and measles is the formation of lifelong immunity. On this the similarity of these two childhood infections ends.
The main differences:
With chickenpox | For measles |
The causative agent is a herpes group virus. | The pathogen is represented by paramyxovirus. |
Preferably, the skin is affected, and on the mucous membranes a rash is less common. | The mucous membranes of the eyes, mouth, respiratory tract, and skin are affected. |
Incubation period Lasts 10-21 days. | The incubation period lasts 7-14 days. |
The rash appears on the first or second day of the disease. | A rash appears on the third to fifth day. |
The flow is often mild and moderate. | The course can be different, up to fatal cases. |
Small rash, is represented by bubbles. | The rash is larger, red, represented by papules, which merge. |
While some elements of the rash become crusted and heal, new blisters form on the skin. | New elements do not appear, and the rash darkens, peels and disappears. |
Catarrhal phenomena are rare. | Runny nose and other catarrhal phenomena occur frequently. |
Vaccination is not required, but is included in the list of recommended. | Vaccination is included in the national immunization schedule. |
Shingles
As you know, after suffering from varicella, the virus does not leave the human body, but remains in the nerve roots. At the age of 40 years, 15% of people activate the virus and become the cause of the disease, which is called herpes zoster or deprive. Since the causative agent is the same as with chickenpox, some people call this disease second chickenpox.
Shingles begins with pain, burning and itching in a place where rashes soon appear. The difference between this type of infection caused by the virus Varicella Zoster, is the defeat of only one part of the body, for example, pimples cover only the lateral part of the body.
With shingles, the person is the source of the virus and can transmit it to people who have not had chickenpox before. Treatment of this pathology, like chickenpox, is only symptomatic. The illness passes within two to three weeks.
