What is chickenpox and what are the symptoms?
Chickenpox is a viral infection caused by the Varicella Zoster virus, which is a type of Herpesvirus. The symptoms: it has acharacteristic itchy rash that turns into blisters that dry and become scabs in four to fivedays. The rash may be the first sign of illness; it is sometimes coupled with fever, sore throat, aches and general malaise. The disease is usually more severe in adults who are more likely to develop complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis. Can only children get chickenpox? Adults who have not had chickenpox in their childhood are as likely to get it. While chickenpox is a mild disease for children, adults usually get more sick. The disease is also more severe in infants and people with compromised immune systems. About 95 percentof the population gets chickenpox by adulthood. Is it a seasonal disease? Many cases of chickenpox occur in late winter and fromMarch to May. How contagious is it? Very contagious. Chickenpox can spread directly from person to person via
