Most of the time chickenpox is a mild childhood illness. However, certain groups of people may suffer a more severe bout that can lead to complications. Adults, adolescents, infants and those who are immune deficient because of long term steroid use, medications taken or illness are more likely to suffer a more intense form of chickenpox. People taking chemotherapy treatment and those who suffer from HIV, diabetes, and other diseases or disorders that weaken the immune system are at high risk if they develop chickenpox.
The most common complication of chickenpox in these groups is bacterial infection, which can strike anywhere on the body that lesions appear. Bacterial infection can occur in bones, blood, joints and lungs. The varicella-zoster virus can also infect the body’s organs and cause bleeding, encephalitis (inflammation and swelling of the brain,) and viral pneumonia.
Every person who contacts chickenpox during childhood is at risk of contacting shingles as an adult. This happens when the varicella-zoster virus lies dormant in never endings near the spinal cord for years. When it becomes active again, it affects the nerves that run to the skin. Symptoms of shingles include prickling, itching, tingling and severe pain that is immediately followed by a red, bumpy rash and blisters that appear only in the area that the affected nerve runs to.
Contagious
Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease. The contagiousness begins two days before the rash breaks out and lasts until all of the blisters have scabbed over and are completely dried up. Children who have chickenpox can’t attend school until all of the scabs are scabbed and dry. This can take between a week and ten days, depending on the severity of the illness. However, scabs can still be present when the child returns to class. It’s important he get back to his daily routine as soon as the blisters are scabbed and dry.