Are there more serious complications associated with chicken pox?
Chicken pox is a relatively benign infection for most. However, more serious complications do uncommonly occur, and it is these more serious complications that constitute the biggest argument to give the chicken pox vaccine. Some of these complications include: Skin: The most common of these otherwise uncommon complications is infection of the skin due to bacteria invading the open sores of the chicken pox. Most of the time, these skin infections are easily treated with antibiotics by mouth. However, occasionally the infection spreads too fast or does not come under control with oral antibiotics. In these cases, antibiotics by vein are required. Brain: An inflammation or swelling of the brain causing confusion or incoordination may occur. This usually happens after the lesions begin to crust over. Because of this timing, it is felt that this complication called encephalitis is caused by the body’s immune reaction rather than the infection itself.
