Child has chicken pox
A highly contagious childhood disease
Cause
• Varicella virus by droplet infection
Clinical features
• Mild fevers occur 10−20 days after exposure
• Characteristic vesicular rash appears in crops, with faint erythematous macules, rapidly
developing into papules and vesicles which rupture easily and become septic
• Lesions of different ages (crops) exist together
• Complications may include septicaemia, pneumonia, fulminating haemorrhagic varicella and
meningoencephalitis
Differential diagnosis
. Impetigo
• Multiple insect bites
• Other viral infections with fever and skin rash
Investigations
Virus isolation possible, but not necessary
Management
Apply calamine lotion every 12 hours prn
plus chlorphenamine 4mg every 12 hours for 3 days
plus an analgesic for the pain,
Child <5: (3−day course)
chlorphenamine 2mg every 12 hours
plus paracetamol 10mg/kg every 4−6 hours
Prevention
• Avoid contact between infected persons and immunosuppressed persons
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