Chickenpox

Chickenpox is a contagious disease caused by a virus (varicella-zoster virus) that leads to an itchy rash with small fluid-filled blisters.

• How it spreads: It can spread through the air (when an infected person coughs or sneezes) and also by direct contact with the blisters or the fluid from them.
• What happens in the body: The virus first affects the respiratory tract and then shows up on the skin as rashes and blisters.
• Common signs: Mild fever, tiredness, and then an itchy rash that turns into blisters and later forms scabs as it heals.
• Why isolation helps: A person can spread chickenpox easily, especially from about 1–2 days before the rash appears until the blisters dry up. Staying away from others breaks the chain of infection.
• Prevention: Vaccination gives strong protection. Covering the mouth and nose while coughing/sneezing and avoiding close contact with an infected person also reduces spread.

Most children recover well, but preventing spread is important because chickenpox can be more serious in babies, adults, and people with weak immunity.