VARICELLA / CHICKEN POX / HERPES ZOSTER

Varicella zoster viruses (VZV) is one of the eight herpes viruses known to infect humans .It causes chicken pox when infected 1st time. After primary infection (chicken pox) the viruses goes dominant in the nerve (cranial nerve, dorsal aspect or autonomic ganglia) and activated once again after many years when opportunity arises.

So many myths are there about varicella in community. But fact is it is an infective, infectious, viral disease, require isolation, good care, treatment, follow up by a dermatologist.

CHICKEN POX:When first humans infected by varicella, develop chicken .It causes a blister like rashes, itching, tiredness and fever, rashe more over the stomach, back and face and spread the entire body. It can be serious in babies, pregnant women, elders and people with weakened immune system. Sometime patient may go for serious complication like secondary skin streptococcal infection, pneumonia, encephalitis, sepsis, dehydration, infection or inflammation of brain.

HERPES ZOOSTER:Herpes zoster is also called as sarpa suttu in local language is not a sarpa dosha. It is reactivation of varicella which is dominant in ganglion.
Most of the time it is along the nerve in distribution ,also can appear along with chicken pox or cranial nerve involvement .It results in a sensory neurites and painful neuralgia followed by a dermatomal vesicular eruption, last for 7-10 days. If patient not treated in early days most of the times goes for post herpetic neuralgia.
Don’t do native medication, herbal medicine, or worshiping or offering to the god for this purpose. It is not an evil, just viral infection, infectious, spreads by respiratory route or contact by discharge. It require rest, isolation, early recognisation and supervised allopathic treatment.