Chickenpox is a common childhood illness that is extremely contagious. Everyone knows that after the illness, a lifelong immunity remains, so no one is sick a second time. However, many people are interested in whether it is possible to get chickenpox a second time, since sometimes they talk about extremely rare cases when the disease occurs again.
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Can I get chickenpox a second time, symptoms and signs
Getting chickenpox a second time is almost unrealistic. However, something like this happens in an unusual way, and it is difficult for a person unfamiliar with medicine.
Few people know that chickenpox immunity is "non-sterile." This means that the causative agent of Varicella disease from the group of herpes viruses remains in the human body throughout life. In simple words, people who have recovered from illness are protected only because the immune system maintains a constant defense against infection, which is always in a “sleeping” (latent) state. But in people with a weak immune system, an adequate response to the disease is not formed.
Against the background of a weakened immune system, the virus wakes up and activates its activity. Most often, this scenario is observed in adults older than 45 years. But in this case, there is not an ordinary chickenpox, but the so-called "herpes zoster".
There is another option for re-infection from strangers, if at that time there are too few antibodies in the body. As a rule, people with AIDS and various autoimmune diseases are at risk.
How does the disease progress in adults?
Common chickenpox in adults is far from a harmless childhood disease. The disease begins with a sharp rise in temperature, a strong general intoxication of the body is also observed.
The main problem is a profuse rash, often complicated by a bacterial infection. The rash period is long - up to 9 days. Bubbles heal poorly and turn into pustules - pimples with pus. After their disappearance, traces often remain on the skin (rather noticeable notches, scars, pits and scars).
Involuntarily, girls and women have to remove the effects of chickenpox in cosmetology clinics and salons, giving a huge amount of money for these procedures.
The disease can also provoke a lot of complications: renal failure, partial or complete loss or loss of vision, pneumonia, meningitis, liver damage. This is due to the fact that the rash appears not only outside but also inside on the organs.
Repeated chickenpox or "shingles" in older people is quite difficult.
Characteristic symptoms:
- increase in standard temperature indicators;
- chills;
- recurrent headaches;
- soreness and aches in the joints;
- worsening of well-being;
- unpleasant burning sensation and discomfort in places of future rashes;
- the appearance of rashes in the form of acne and large pink spots (approximately on the third day).
Such "chickenpox" in adults takes 2-4 weeks. But the pain after it can bother a person for a long time. This is due to the fact that the virus also affects the nervous system. In medicine, this phenomenon is called "postherpetic neuralgia."
Interestingly, in children who have not yet had contact with the chickenpox virus, close contact with people with a diagnosis of shingles develops typical chickenpox.
What to do if the child falls ill a second time
Children under 11 years old tolerate the disease relatively easily. In some cases, the well-being worsens, the thermometer shows high numbers. The rash that appears may be uncomfortable, so babies complain of itching. Over time, the papules dry out, crusts form in their place.
The kid needs to explain that pimples can not be combed, since their injury can lead to the formation of dimples, scars and ugly scars.
There is an opinion that if a preschooler suffered chickenpox too easily and almost asymptomatically, he will certainly get sick one more time. It is not true. In any case, the virus gets inside, and a healthy, normally developing child gains lifelong immunity, regardless of how intense the external manifestations were.
In the case of repeated chickenpox (and these are exceptional cases) in children, it is imperative to consult a specialist, since the immunity is too weak, which can threaten serious complications. One of the tangible consequences is hemorrhagic chickenpox, in which the bubbles are filled not with liquid, but with blood contents.
Hemorrhages under the skin and nosebleeds may also occur. In rare cases, even cerebral edema may occur. Therefore, if the course of the disease is atypical, urgent diagnosis and medical advice is necessary.
In addition, the disease recurs more painfully, therefore, complex treatment cannot be dispensed with.
As a rule, the doctor prescribes:
- antipyretic drugs;
- antihistamines;
- immunoglobulins.
The rash is traditionally treated with brilliant green or salicylic alcohol. Do not constantly touch pimples with your hands, comb them, it is better to change clothes, clothes and adhere to standard hygiene rules more often. But wetting pimples with water is strictly prohibited.
You can take a warm shower only at the final stage, when the intensity of rashes decreased. Also, the patient is recommended a plentiful warm drink.
How to prevent re-infection
Chickenpox is best sucked in childhood.Adults, in order not to get infected, it is best to be vaccinated against this disease. Doctors especially insistently recommend this to young women of childbearing age who wish to become mothers who have not been ill during childhood.
Simple preventive measures will protect not only from re-infection, but also from infection with other diseases. Proper nutrition, strengthening immunity, an active lifestyle, minimizing stress reduce the risk of infection to a minimum. If a person is healthy, eats properly, does not ignore hardening and physical activity, he has almost no chance of getting sick again.
