Hello and welcome to the Zero to Finals podcast.

My name is Tom, and in this episode I'm going to be talking to you about chickenpox.

And you can find written notes on this topic at zero definals.com slash chicken pox

or in the dermatology section of the Zero Definals Pediatrics book.

So let's jump straight in.

Chickenpox is caused by the variceller Zoster virus or VZV. It causes a highly contagious

generalized vesicular rash. It's common in children and once a child has had an episode

of chicken pox, they develop immunity to

the VZV virus and will not be affected again. So how does it present? Chicken pox is characterized

by a widespread erythematous, meaning red, raised, vesicular, which means fluid filled,

blistering rash made up of individual lesions.

The rash usually starts on the trunk or the face

and spreads outwards affecting the whole body over two to five days.

Eventually the lesions scab over, at which point they stop being contagious. There's a few

other symptoms that can accompany the rash in chickenpox. And this can be fever, which is often the

first symptom, itch, and generalized fatigue and malaise. Let's talk about the infectivity.

Chickenpox is highly contagious and spread through direct contact with the lesions

or through infected droplets from a sneeze or a cough.

Patients become symptomatic 10 days to three weeks after they're exposed to the virus.

They stop being contagious after all the lesions have crusted over.

There's a few complications of chicken pox to be aware of,

and these include bacterial superinfection

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