Shingles (herpes zoster) is a pain rash caused by the chickenpox (varicella-zoster) virus. If you've ever had chickenpox, the virus remains inactive in nerve tissue. Years later, the virus may reactivate, causing shingles.
Chickenpox may start out seeming like a cold: You might have a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, and a cough. But 1 to 2 days later, the rash begins, often in bunches of spots on the chest and face. From there it can spread out quickly over the entire body — sometimes the rash is even in a person's ears and mouth.
Check if it's chickenpoxChickenpox starts with red spots. They can appear anywhere on the body and might spread or stay in a small area. 2. The spots fill with fluid and become blisters.
A person with chickenpox is considered contagious beginning 1 to 2 days before rash onset until all the chickenpox lesions have crusted (scabbed). Vaccinated people who get chickenpox may develop lesions that do not crust. These people are considered contagious until no new lesions have appeared for 24 hours.
Doctors generally diagnose chickenpox based on the rash. If there's any doubt about the diagnosis, chickenpox can be confirmed with lab tests, including blood tests or a culture of lesion samples.
Chickenpox illness usually lasts about 4 to 7 days. The classic symptom of chickenpox is a rash that turns into itchy, fluid-filled blisters that eventually turn into scabs.
Once the skin has developed, the skin from the original blister will fall off. If the blister continues to be exposed to friction, it can take several weeks to heal. In the meantime, the blister may pop on its own, oozing fluid. This also leaves the blister vulnerable to infection.
Expert answerThanks for your question. You are correct that chickenpox (also called varicella) does still exist, both in the United States and all over the world. The chickenpox vaccine was introduced in 1995 in the United States.
Chickenpox is transmitted from person to person by directly touching the blisters, saliva or mucus of an infected person. The virus can also be transmitted through the air by coughing and sneezing.
Once the chickenpox rash appears, it goes through three phases:
- Raised pink or red bumps (papules), which break out over several days.
- Small fluid-filled blisters (vesicles), which form in about one day and then break and leak.
- Crusts and scabs, which cover the broken blisters and take several more days to heal.
A blister is a bubble of fluid under the skin. The clear, watery liquid inside a blister is called serum. It leaks in from neighboring tissues as a reaction to injured skin. If the blister remains unopened, serum can provide natural protection for the skin beneath it.
Chickenpox is less deadly comparing to small pox. Smallpox is deadly severe comparing to chicken pox.
It is most contagious on the day before the rash appears. It spreads from person to person through direct contact with the virus. You can get chickenpox if you touch a blister or the liquid from a blister. You can also get chickenpox if you touch the saliva of a person who has chickenpox.
