Many people consider chickenpox to be a harmless disease. However, this viral infection often leads to dangerous consequences. The older the person, the more severe this disease is. Adults are much more likely to develop complications of chickenpox than children. Why is windmill dangerous? And how to treat the consequences of infection? We will answer these questions in the article.
Complications. Types and causes
In children between 2 and 12 years of age, this disease usually resolves without complications. Severe chickenpox is most common in infants, adolescents, and adults. It is in this age group that the dangerous consequences of the infection are most often diagnosed.
Complications of chickenpox can be divided into two types:
- Viral. Chickenpox is caused by the herpesvirus type 3. If the patient has reduced immunity, then the pathogen has a strong toxic effect on the body. The rash spreads to the mucous membranes and internal organs.
- Bacterial. Very often tobacteria attach to the herpes virus. The patient introduces microorganisms into the skin while scratching the rash. This leads to the appearance of pustules on the skin. In severe cases, the bacteria can spread through the bloodstream and infect internal organs.
ICD Codes
According to the International Classification of Diseases, chickenpox refers to viral infections, accompanied by damage to the skin and mucous membranes. These pathologies belong to departments B00 - B09. Chickenpox code without complications according to ICD-10 - B01.9.
If chickenpox occurs in a more serious form, then the ICD code depends on the type of comorbidity:
- B01.0 - chickenpox with meningitis.
- B01.1 - encephalitis during or after chickenpox.
- B01.2 - varicella pneumonia.
- B01.8 - other complications.
Next, we will consider in detail the possible consequences of the disease, their symptoms and treatment methods.
Skin complications. Features
Bacterial skin infections are a fairly common complication of chickenpox in children. It is very difficult for a small child to endure severe itching, so children comb the rashes and infect the epidermis. There are cases when adults also damage the surface of the chickenpox bubbles. As a result, bacteria get inside the papules.
Skin complications of chickenpox include the following pathologies:
- streptoderma;
- furuncle;
- abscess;
- phlegmon.
If streptococci get into the chickenpox vesicle, then streptoderma develops. This complication is more common in children. A characteristic symptom of this disease is the appearance of pustules on the skin. These formations are about the size of a pea and are filled with a cloudy liquid. They appear in place of chicken pox vesicles.
Streptococcal pustules grow rapidly and reach a size of 1 - 2 cm. After breaking through, ulcers appear in their place. Then the wounds heal, becoming covered with a crust. A depigmented area remains in place of the pustules. Streptoderma is always accompanied by unbearable itching. Scratching spreads bacteria to other areas of the skin.
Purulent infections can be attributed to skin complications of chickenpox in adults:
- Furuncle. This is a purulent inflammation in the area of \u200b\u200bthe hair follicle and sebaceous gland. A boil looks like a large red pimple with a white head. The patient feels a throbbing pain in the affected area. Inside the boil is a purulent rod, consisting of dead leukocytes. After breaking through the abscess, a small scar remains on the skin.
- Abscess. This is a purulent-inflammatory process in the subcutaneous tissue. The causative agent of pathology is most often Staphylococcus aureus. The purulent cavity is delimited from he althy tissues by a capsule. The skin around the abscess becomes hot, swollen, and painful.
- Phlegmon. This is a diffuse inflammation in the subcutaneous tissue. The purulent cavity does not have a capsule, so suppuration quickly spreads to he althy areas. No treatment for phlegmoncan lead to blood poisoning - sepsis.
With an abscess and phlegmon, the patient has a severe fever and deterioration in well-being. After breaking through such formations, deep scars remain. Purulent complications most often occur in patients with diabetes mellitus and chronic pathologies of internal organs.
Stomatitis
Stomatitis is a common complication of chickenpox in infants. Babies often scratch the rash, and then put their hands in their mouths. The herpes virus enters the mucosa and causes inflammation.
Chickenpox stomatitis is accompanied by the appearance of red spots on the oral mucosa. Subsequently, these rashes turn into bubbles, it becomes very painful for the baby to chew food. He often cries and refuses to eat. The child has a fever and swollen lymph nodes under the jaw.
Respiratory effects
Chickenpox rash can spread to the lining of the larynx. This leads to acute inflammation - laryngitis. Patients are concerned about dry cough, pain and sore throat, hoarseness. The temperature rises slightly. In severe cases, choking appears (chickenpox) due to swelling of the mucous membrane of the larynx. This requires immediate medical attention.
Pneumonia is a severe complication of chickenpox. The inflammatory process in the lungs develops due to the entry of the herpes pathogen into the lower respiratory tract. Sometimes bacteria join a viral infection.
First signs of pneumoniamay occur even before the onset of chickenpox rashes. Body temperature rises to +39 degrees, a wet cough and shortness of breath appear. In severe cases, sputum contains blood or pus.
Pneumonia with chickenpox occurs in 16% of adult patients. Inflammation of the lungs most often develops in people with immunodeficiency conditions. Severe forms of pathology can lead to the death of the patient from respiratory failure.
Dangerous consequences for the brain
Inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) is one of the most severe and dangerous complications of chickenpox. This disease is divided into three varieties:
- preventryannuyu;
- windmill (early);
- post-breakfast (late).
The causative agent of prevaricella and early forms of encephalitis is the herpes virus. These are the most dangerous types of brain inflammation. Pre-varicella encephalitis occurs in the early stages of chickenpox before the rash appears. An early form of brain inflammation develops at the stage of the first rashes.
These varieties of encephalitis are accompanied by swelling of the brain and a sharp increase in cerebral pressure. The patient develops a bursting headache, clouding of consciousness, convulsions. There are disorders of breathing, speech and swallowing. Mortality in these types of encephalitis reaches 12%.
Post-varicella encephalitis develops during the recovery phase after chickenpox. The complication has an infectious-allergic origin. Cause of inflammationis the body's response to exposure to viral toxins. Patients complain of headache, nausea, and coordination disorders. Visual disturbances may occur. This disease has a better prognosis than early forms of encephalitis.
Chickenpox arthritis
Chickenpox virus can enter the joints. This results in reactive arthritis. Inflammation of the joints is observed only during the period of rashes, after recovery, all signs of arthritis disappear.
The patient complains of severe pain in the joints and muscles. The lower extremities are most commonly affected. The pain syndrome can be so intense that a person cannot walk, there is redness and swelling of the joints. In adult patients, after the disappearance of the rash, all signs of arthritis disappear.
However, arthritis is a rather serious complication of chickenpox in children. After the disease, the signs of joint damage may subside. But this does not mean that the inflammation has completely disappeared. In childhood, chickenpox arthritis often becomes chronic. Pain in the joints can recur with hypothermia, as well as after the flu or SARS.
Chickenpox myocarditis
With the bloodstream, the causative agent of chickenpox can enter the heart muscle. It attacks heart cells (cardiomyocytes), resulting in myocardial inflammation.
The symptoms of this disease usually appear 1-2 weeks after the formation of blisters on the skin. The patient feels very tired and has difficulty breathing. Subsequently, he develops chest pains, and his arms andlegs are swollen. Myocarditis is accompanied by severe fever and night sweats.
Viral eye diseases
Viral keratitis is a fairly serious complication of chickenpox. Eye damage can cause blindness. Keratitis is called inflammation of the cornea, it develops due to the entry of the chickenpox virus into the eye. If the patient does not wash his hands after scratching the rash, then he can infect the organ of vision.
The patient develops itchy blisters on the eyelids. The whites of the eyes turn red, there is pain and a feeling of a foreign body inside the eye. Hypersensitivity to light and excessive tearing may occur. Keratitis can be complicated by the appearance of a walleye, which causes loss of vision.
The varicella-zoster virus can also infect the optic nerve. This leads to inflammation - neuritis. The disease is accompanied by a deterioration in vision and the appearance of luminous figures in front of the eyes. Patients have pain in the eye sockets and distortion of color perception. In advanced cases, nerve atrophy and blindness develop.
Genital lesions
In adult men, chickenpox rashes can spread to the vulva. This leads to inflammation of the head of the penis and foreskin - balanoposthitis. The disease is accompanied by severe pain during the separation of urine, itching, burning and redness of the skin.
In women, chickenpox vesicles often appear on the external genital organs and on the vaginal mucosa. This is accompanied by inflammation (vulvitis) and severe itching. ATin severe cases, the patient experiences pain and discomfort when walking.
Chickenpox balanoposthitis and vulvitis are quite rare complications after chickenpox in children. Mucosal lesions are more common in adult patients. However, with reduced immunity in a child, a chickenpox rash can move to the genital area. In adulthood, this can adversely affect reproductive function, especially in boys.
Shingles
This is a consequence of a past infection that can occur many years after recovery. Every patient who has been ill with chickenpox acquires a strong immunity to this disease. However, repeated cases of pathology are still noted. But at the same time, a person does not get the classic form of chickenpox, but shingles.
Even after recovery, the chickenpox virus continues to live in the cells of the body. He is there in a "sleeping" state. However, with a decrease in immunity, the pathogen can become active again, and the person becomes ill with herpes zoster.
In this pathology, the herpes virus affects the nerve endings. The patient develops itchy painful rashes on the body, limbs and neck. Shingles resolves on its own within 10 to 14 days, but in the elderly, the disease may be complicated by pneumonia or meningitis.
Therapy Methods
If blisters spread from the skin to the mucous membranes, then this is one of the manifestations of the chickenpox clinic. Complications are treated with antiviral drugs. To these fundsinclude:
- "Cycloferon";
- "Aciclovir";
- "Valacyclovir";
- "Famciclovir".
These medicines are prescribed both in the form of tablets and ointments. They are also used in case of damage to internal organs by the varicella-zoster virus. In addition, rashes must be treated with antiseptic solutions ("Miramistin", "Chlorhexidine").
In case of secondary bacterial complications (streptoderma, purulent skin infections), it is necessary to prescribe antibiotics in the form of ointments. The choice of antibacterial agent depends on the type of pathogen.
Prevention
How to avoid the complications of chickenpox? It is necessary from the first days of illness to observe bed rest and take the prescribed antiviral drugs. This will help strengthen the immune system and avoid the spread of a viral infection to internal organs.
You should refrain from scratching rashes. However, in many cases, itching with chickenpox becomes unbearable. In this case, you need to treat the affected areas with antihistamine ointments, this will help reduce irritation.
It is very important to wash your hands often and cut your nails short. This will reduce the likelihood of infection entering the vesicles and mucous membranes. For small children, it is recommended to purchase special cotton gloves to avoid scratching the skin.
