HYDERABAD: Chickenpox cases have been rising in the city for the past three weeks, especially among children, said, several doctors. Infants, pregnant women, the immune-compromised and the elderly were at high risk of getting infected with the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), which causes chickenpox.
Dr Monalisa Sahu, infectious diseases consultant, said, “Many patients with chickenpox are getting admitted in hospitals in the last two to three weeks. The incubation period after the exposure to the virus is 14 to 16 days but could also vary from 10-21 days.”
Dr Sahu said the early symptoms were fever, body aches and rash before the lesions come up. “Respiratory secretions and lesion fluids are highly infectious. Proper precautions have to be followed by those around the patient to avoid getting infected.”
Dr Sivaranjani Santosh, the senior consultant paediatrician, said, “Chickenpox doesn't usually get complicated in healthy children. So there is no need to give any antiviral medicine to children in that age group. Infants, children above 12 years of age, adults, pregnant women, immunosuppressed people, people with chronic diseases and those on long-term salicylate therapy are at bigger risk. They need to take antiviral medicine. Either way, consulting a doctor is highly advisable”.
Dr Santosh cautioned against taking aspirin which may result in a dangerous complication called Reye's syndrome that affects the liver and brain apart from ibuprofen, which has been associated with the risk of life-threatening bacterial skin infections.
Dr Srikanth Sandanala, associate professor of paediatrics at Niloufer Hospital, said: “Children may develop secondary skin infections, bacterial infections after the lesions scab off so they might require an anti-bacterial.”
Masking up, washing hands frequently, maintaining a distance from an infected person, and avoiding public places in case infection occurs, are measures that can help contain the spread of the disease. A healthy diet that includes home-cooked high-protein food, and lots of fluids, is advisable,” said Dr Sandanala.
