The causative agent of chicken pox is Human herpevirus 3, commonly called Varicella-Zoster Zirus, gets its name from the two diseases it causes: Varicella and herpes zoster. VZV is in the genus Varicellovirus is a highly infectious disease. Although it’s most often seen in children, it’s more severe when adults contract it. Transmission is through respiratory tract and eyes, replicate in cells at the site of infection, and then travel via blood throughout body causing fever, malaise, skin lesions, loss of appetite, and a dry cough.
After two to three weeks of incubation, lesions start to appear on the skin. One to two days before lesions appear the person is highly contagious and remains contagious until blisters have crusted over. The virus is shed through respiratory droplets and fluid lesions. VZV can become latent within sensory nerves like many herpesviruses and remain dormant for years. Certain conditions such as stress, immune suppression, and aging can cause the virus to reactivate, travel down the nerve they inhabit and painful rash known as shingles or herpes zoster.
Zoster refers to characteristic localization of shingle lesions along a band of skin, associated with infected nerve. VZV is diagnosed by appearance of lesions, however there antibody test to confirm. In healthy children, chickenpox typically requires no medical treatment. Their physician may prescribe an antihistamine for itching. As with viruses, the disease is allowed to run its course.