Chickenpox or, as the people say, chickenpox is a fairly common and uncomplicated disease. However, if not properly treated, pathology can cause complications that can damage the nervous system and lead to irreversible processes in the body.
By the way, the chickenpox virus is called "Varicella-Zoster" in the medical world. It is a very distant cousin of herpes that appears on the lips or genitals.
Despite the fact that smallpox is considered a childhood disease, since about 80% of all children suffer from it, the latest statistics show that the disease begins to "grow up", that is, children from 15 years of age and older are already at risk. they account for about 10% of cases. After all, the older a person is, the more difficult it is for him to tolerate the effects of the virus on the body, the more severe the symptoms and consequences.
Classification
Chickenpox encephalitis is a very rare complication of chickenpox. Approximately 1 casefor 10 thousand patients. To date, the following classification of encephalitis is distinguished:
|
Name |
Symptoms and consequences |
| Preventilation | In this case, encephalitis develops long before the first symptoms of chickenpox appear. This type is considered the least favorable. The child may stop talking and pay attention to any stimuli. According to statistics, in 16% of cases this type of pathology causes the development of epilepsy, partial paralysis or hyperkinetic syndrome. In addition, such a child, in the future, has a high risk of contracting shingles due to the fact that the virus is fixed in the body. |
| Early | Symptoms of encephalitis appear along with the symptoms of chicken pox. This type of pathology also has an unfavorable prognosis for recovery. |
| Late or Post-Winter |
This pathology is not a consequence of brain virus infection, but only an allergic consequence. Simply put, in this way the body reacts to the inflammatory processes that chicken pox causes. The symptomatology of encephalitis is manifested at the moment when the wounds are tightened with a "crust". This type has the best prognosis for recovery. |
Symptomatics
As a rule, children who have not reached the age of one do not suffer from chickenpox at all. Symptoms are mildform, and the disease passes very quickly. This is due to the fact that the child still consumes mother's milk, and with it antibodies enter the body. Problems may arise in those children whose mothers did not have smallpox or herpes zoster. But, even in such situations, the risk of getting chickenpox encephalitis in children is minimal.
The greatest risk of developing encephalitis in a child is from the second to the seventh day, while the chickenpox lasts. It is at this moment that the rash actively spreads and the body temperature rises.
Along with the symptoms of smallpox, symptoms of varicella encephalitis in children appear, namely:
- lethargy and severe weakness;
- headaches;
- disorientation (the child may even be delusional);
- vomit;
- convulsions;
- loss of consciousness.
In some cases, even focal lesions appear:
- paresis;
- inappropriate behavior;
- facial asymmetry;
- Inability to swallow.
As a rule, if the treatment is started on time, the symptoms will quickly disappear.
Symptoms of the late form of the disease
If a child has post-winding encephalitis, the disease can be characterized by the following symptoms:
- pyramidal syndrome;
- hyperthermia;
- convulsive or coma;
- signs of meningitis or cerebral edema.
The course of the disease
If on the second day after the onset of chickenpox the child has convulsions, then you cansay with almost complete certainty that chickenpox encephalitis has begun.
If we are talking about an acute form, then cerebral disorders begin (headache, dizziness, vomiting, etc.), up to the development of hemiparetic syndrome. Praxis and speech impairment may occur.
Very rare is myelitis syndrome (inflammation of the spinal cord), which is more common in older children. From the beginning of regression to the end of encephalitis, it can take from 4 to 6 weeks.
Subacute period may be characterized by unsteady gait and lack of coordination, trembling in the limbs.
At the slightest symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor. Although the risk of death is not very high, it is still there. It should also be understood that even after treatment of the pathology, convulsions and hyperkinesia may be observed for some time.
Disease in adults
Despite the fact that chickenpox is considered a childhood infectious disease, if a person has not had this disease in childhood, then this will happen already in adulthood. In such cases, smallpox and encephalitis occur with very severe symptoms.
A concomitant disease with smallpox can be not only chickenpox encephalitis in adults, it can be myocarditis, pneumonia, nephritis. Encephalitis most often develops against the background of allergization of the whole organism. Simply put, it could be a direct effect of the virus on the brain or an allergic reaction of the brain tissue to the presence of the virus.
Encephalitis in adults more oftenbegins from 5 to 20 days from the onset of smallpox. In the brain, foci of necrosis, and even small hemorrhages, can be observed. It all starts with a general malaise and a rapid increase in body temperature. There may be a violation of consciousness and convulsions. High body temperature can last for 10 days. In such situations, all therapeutic measures are carried out exclusively in a hospital.
Secondary form of encephalitis appears already at the stage when smallpox is on the decline, but another infection joins it. Symptoms in this form can be very diverse, but in most cases it is necessarily accompanied by a high body temperature.
Diagnostic measures
As a rule, based on the symptoms, it is already possible to understand that chickenpox encephalitis has begun. However, under any circumstances, additional diagnostic methods will be assigned, in particular, these are:
- collection and examination of cerebrospinal fluid;
- serological analysis;
- MRI of the brain, although the data from this study can only show the presence of unsharp asymmetry of the lateral ventricles;
- collection of brain tissue samples;
- electroencephalogram;
- virological analysis.
General treatment
The main drug used in the treatment of varicella encephalitis is Acyclovir or similar medications. This is an antiviral drug that is available in the form of tablets or injections. In some cases, therapymay include corticosteroids and immunoglobulins.
For desensitizing measures, potassium preparations, prednisolone are used. Hormone therapy can also be carried out, which is based on a gradual decrease in the dose of the drug.
Antihistamines are also used in the treatment, it can be Suprastin, Diazolin or Tavegil.
To avoid dehydration, Diacarb, Glycerol or Furosemide may be prescribed. Vitamin complexes are also included in therapeutic measures. If a child or adult is overexcited, sedatives may be prescribed.
Adult treatment
Symptoms of varicella encephalitis are not much different from the pathologies that are inherent in children. In light of this, the treatment is also practically no different, except that there may be large doses of medications.
The main thing is to stay in bed, even if the treatment takes place at home. It is necessary to consume a lot of warm drinks. You can also make chamomile lotions on wounds to prevent another infection from entering. You should also not dry yourself with a towel after taking a shower, so as not to damage the integrity of the formed "crusts" on the wounds. The main thing is to remember that you can swim only after 3 days from the moment the last bubbles have dried up.
Forecast
In the vast majority of cases, the consequences of varicella encephalitis in children after a certaintime completely disappear. But this is if we are talking about an allergic form. If the nervous system is affected, then hyperkinesis, epilepsy persists in 15% of patients. About 10% of cases are fatal.
If we talk about the consequences of varicella encephalitis in adults, we can talk about the formation of pathologies associated with the spinal cord. In addition, the sensitivity of the skin, delay in the process of defecation and urination may increase. Some patients develop muscle weakness.
Prevention
The best prevention is the absence of contact with a sick person. According to statistics, if contact with a sick child is prevented during the first two hours, then the risk of infecting other children is almost completely absent. Full isolation recommended for nine hours.
A patient, both an adult and a child, becomes absolutely not contagious to other people as soon as a crust appears on the last vesicles. Smallpox usually does not leave scars, unless another infection joined the virus during activation.
Besides chickenpox vaccination, there are no other preventive measures against varicella encephalitis.
