Not only children, chickenpox can also attack adults. Although the symptoms are not much different, adult chickenpox can cause more serious complications than chickenpox in children.
Chickenpox or also called varicella is a disease caused by a virus Varicella zoster. This disease that is often experienced by children can also be experienced by adults, which is marked by the appearance of red and itchy blisters on the skin. These blisters can appear on the face, neck, arms, legs, and body.
Adult chickenpox is more prone to occur in pregnant women and adults whose immune systems are weak, have never had chickenpox as a child, or have not received chickenpox immunization.
How to transmit chickenpox in adults
Adult chickenpox is highly contagious, as the virus can spread through the air and pass from person to person. You are at high risk of getting chickenpox if you live together, have physical contact, or use items that have been used by someone with chickenpox.
In fact, being in the same room for 15 minutes or face to face with someone with chickenpox can also increase your risk of contracting the disease.
When a person contracts this disease, it can take 7-21 days for the symptoms of chickenpox to appear. Adults with chickenpox can spread the disease to others, from before the spots appear until after the spots have dried.
Recognize the Symptoms of Adult Chickenpox
The symptoms of chickenpox in adults are generally more severe than the symptoms of chickenpox in children. Symptoms that may appear include:
- Fever
- Painful
- Headache
- Rashes or spots that develop into small, itchy blisters
- Loss of appetite
- Fatigue
- Feeling unwell
This fever and malaise can last for several days. Meanwhile, the blisters on the skin that are characteristic of chickenpox will dry up and become scabs.
Scars due to chickenpox today can slowly fade within a week or completely disappear in 2-3 weeks.
Adult chickenpox usually lasts 5–10 days and can cause more serious complications, especially in people with weakened immune systems. There are several complications that can occur due to adult chickenpox, namely:
- Reye's syndrome
- skin infection
- Pneumonia
- Joint inflammation
- Inflammation of the brain or encephalitis
- Sepsis
- Herpes zoster
If it occurs in pregnant women, chickenpox can cause birth defects, low birth weight, and life-threatening infections.
Steps for Handling Adult Chickenpox
Adult chickenpox treatment steps aim to relieve the symptoms that appear. The following are some things that can be done to treat it:
- Drink lots of water to prevent dehydration.
- Consume soft textured foods.
- Avoid scratching the chickenpox rash or blisters.
- Use loose clothing, soft fabrics, and comfortable on the skin.
- Take paracetamol to relieve fever, headache, and aches.
- Apply lotion calamine to relieve itching.
- Take antihistamine tablets as prescribed by your doctor to reduce itching.
The doctor will also prescribe an antiviral, such as acyclovir or valacyclovir, to overcome the virus and prevent complications.
Adult Chicken Pox Prevention
To prevent chickenpox, the right step that can be taken is to get the varicella vaccine. However, consult your doctor before you undergo this vaccination, because there are some conditions that are not allowed to get vaccinated, such as:
- Have an allergy to an ingredient in the vaccine, such as gelatin or neomycin
- Have a weakened immune system due to chemotherapy or cancer radiation
- Taking long-term corticosteroid drugs
- Suffering from HIV/AIDS
Although often mistaken for a disease of children, chickenpox can also affect adults. In order to avoid contracting adult chickenpox, you are advised to keep a distance from people with chickenpox, wash your hands frequently, and always adopt a healthy lifestyle so that the immune system is maintained.
Because chickenpox is a highly contagious disease, immediately consult a doctor if you have this disease. Moreover, if your adult chickenpox is accompanied by symptoms of shortness of breath, fever for more than 4 days, difficulty walking, stiff neck, severe cough, and severe abdominal pain.