Adults & Chickenpox |
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| If you haven't had Chickenpox can you still get it as an adult? | |||||||||||||||||||
| YES, you can! Chickenpox
is usually more severe in older individuals who missed getting it when
they were children. Your chances of contracting chickenpox are
greater if you have or work around young children because they can
become infected in daycare or school. If someone in your household
contracts Chickenpox, you have a 90% chance of getting it yourself (if
you haven't had Chickenpox before).
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| Is Chickenpox harmless? | |||||||||||||||||||
| Usually it is, but
complications related to chickenpox are responsible for more than 9,000
hospitalizations and about 100 deaths every year. Of these, about
1,800 hospitalizations and about 60 deaths occur in adolescents and
adults (15 years of age and older). In general, Chickenpox can be
more serious and severe in older people than in children.
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| How many adults are really at risk of getting chickenpox? | |||||||||||||||||||
| An estimated 10 million adult
Americans (older than 18 years of age) have not had clinical Chickenpox
and are considered potentially "susceptible" to the disease
and its serious complications. Nearly 4 million Americans, mostly
children 1-14 years of age, contract Chickenpox every year. The
disease occurs most often in children between the ages 5-9. By
adulthood, most people have already had Chickenpox. About 60,000
adults continue to get Chickenpox every year in the United States.
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| What kind of complications can adults get? | |||||||||||||||||||
| As you now know, Chickenpox is
likely to be more severe in adults. Adults are 5-10 times more
likely than children to have complications. These complications
are much more likely to lead to hospitalization in adult than in
children. Recent statistics show that although 5% of Chickenpox
cases occur among adults older than 20 years, 55% of deaths related to
the disease occur in this age group.
The most common complication of Chickenpox in adults is pneumonia. It occurs in nearly 20% of adults who have the disease and can cause coughing, chest pains, high fever, and even hospitalizations. Fever and respiratory problems can last for weeks after the rash has disappeared. Other less common complications seen in adults include inflammation of the brain, other upper and lower respiratory tract conditions, and severe skin infections. Complications in adults can also be costly in terms of doctor visits, pharmacy purchases, and time lost from work. If one of your children contracts Chickenpox, you may not only get the disease yourself (if you're still susceptible), but you will also have to take care of your sick child. Time missed from work and family expenses can really add up. Even if you have an uncomplicated case of Chickenpox, you may not be able to return to work or be involved in your normal activities until after the infectious period.
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What can I expect if I get Chickenpox? |
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| The person with Chickenpox
often suffers from aches, fever, headaches, irritability, and itching. Added to the discomfort are lost work and wages
and the costs of doctors' visits and medicines. Costs and time
lost from work can also increase if you need to be hospitalized for
complications of Chickenpox, such as pneumonia.
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How is Chickenpox spread? |
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| Chickenpox is easily spread by
coughing or sneezing or through contact with fluid from the lesions on
the skin. No physical contact with an infected person is needed
for the disease to spread. This means that if you have not had
Chickenpox, you can easily contract it just by being around someone who
is infected with it.
Zoster, also known as shingles, is a reactivation of Chickenpox and may also be a source of the virus for susceptible children and adults. Even if you have had previous exposures to people with Chickenpox without feeling sick yourself, you may not be immune to the disease. You still may get Chickenpox. Exposure alone does not ensure that you are protected.
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What are the symptoms of Chickenpox? |
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| After the initial contact, it
usually takes about 2-3 weeks before symptoms begin. This is
called the "incubation period." About a day before the
rash of Chickenpox appears, the infected person may start to feel achy
and feverish, may not feel like eating, and may complain about
"coming down with something."
The next day, the pocks (the little red spots or rash) appear on the chest, stomach, or back, and may finally appear on the face, arms and legs. Groups of itchy spots in different stages are typical of the Chickenpox rash. There may be only a few spots or hundreds of spots over the next 3-5 days. The rash can even spread into the mouth or other internal parts of the body, causing extreme discomfort. The pocks quickly progress into clear, fluid-filled blisters, which then become cloudy, break open, and finally crust over to form itchy scabs. These scabs can cause permanent scarring, especially if scratched. As the blisters begin to scab, the person usually starts to feel better (assuming no serious complications develop).
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How long is the infectious period? |
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| A person with Chickenpox can
infect others from about 2 days before the rash develops until after all
the pocks have crusted over. A mild case may show complete
crusting within 5 days, while a sever case may take 10 days. To
avoid spreading the infection during this period, it's important that
you stay away from children and adults who are susceptible.
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| Which adults are at greatest risk of getting Chickenpox? | |||||||||||||||||||
The following groups of people
are at increased risk of contacting Chickenpox (if still susceptible)
because they work or live in environments in which spread of disease can
easily occur:
The following groups of people are at increased risk of contracting Chickenpox (if still susceptible) and spreading the disease to those at high risk for serious complications:
Because Chickenpox infection is common in most countries, international travelers who have not yet had Chickenpox may be at risk. Susceptible women of childbearing age who are thinking of becoming pregnant are at risk, too. If Chickenpox is acquired during pregnancy, it can cause serious problems for both the mother and fetus. Severe (sometimes fatal) pneumonia, premature labor, and premature delivery have been experienced by pregnant women with Chickenpox infection. Chickenpox acquired during the first half of pregnancy may result in fetal abnormalities. If maternal infection occurs between 5 days before and 2 days after delivery, it is highly possible that the infant may develop severe Chickenpox infection with an increased risk of death. In addition, people raised in tropical or subtropical areas now working in or visiting the United States may be at increased risk of contracting and spreading Chickenpox because they may not have been exposed to the disease previously. Proof of vaccination against Chickenpox or a history of the disease is now requested for immigration into the United States.
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| What should I do if I can't determine if I had Chickenpox as a Child? | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ask your doctor. Your
doctor can perform a test to help determine if you're still susceptible
to Chickenpox and its serious complications. This test is even
more important if you work or live in one of the environments listed
earlier, do a lot of international traveling, or plan on becoming
pregnant or are already pregnant.
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For more information contact your local health department or physician. Shiawassee County Health Department 110 East Mack Street Corunna, Michigan 48817 (989) 743-2355 1-800-859-4229 [Immunizations] [Personal-Health] [Home]
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