Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease caused by the Varicella Zoster virus. Symptoms are fever and an itchy, blister-like rash. In rare cases, other, more severe complications can occur, including bacterial infections of the skin, pneumonia, and swelling of the brain. Preventing chickenpox by staying healthy and limiting exposure to the virus is a good and beneficial way, although vaccination is usually recommended in many countries, especially in the United States and Canada.
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Part 1 of 2: Preventing Chickenpox
Step 1. Get vaccinated against chickenpox
Most medical experts state that getting vaccinated against chickenpox is the best way to prevent chickenpox. Vaccination introduces weakened virus particles into the immune system thereby increasing a strong response in case of contact with more dangerous and more potent particles. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, prior to the introduction of the Varicella vaccine in 1995, about 4 million Americans were infected with chickenpox each year-now, that number has fallen to 400,000 each year. Varicella vaccine is usually given to children aged 12-15 months, then given again at the age of 4-6 years. For adolescents or adults who have not been immunized, the vaccine is given in a series of 2 injections, separated 1-2 months between injections.
- If you're not sure whether you're immune to chickenpox or not, your doctor can give you a simple blood test to check your immunity to the Varicella virus.
- The Varicella vaccine can be combined with the vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella, known as the MMRV vaccine.
- It is estimated that a single vaccination is effective in preventing chickenpox infection by about 70-90 percent, while a double dose protects about 98 percent.
- If you've had chickenpox, you don't need the Varicella vaccine because you already have natural immunity (resistance) to this disease.
- Varicella vaccine is not allowed for pregnant women, people with weak immunity (because the vaccine can actually trigger chickenpox infection), and people who are allergic to gelatin or the antibiotic neomycin.
Step 2. Keep your immune system strong
As with any other fungal, bacterial, or viral infection, proper prevention depends on proper immune system function. The immune system is made up of specialized white blood cells that seek out and destroy potential pathogens, but if the system is weak or lacks a source of white blood cells, disease-causing microorganisms will thrive, spread, and become virtually uncontrollable. Thus, it is not surprising that the people most at risk with most infections, including chickenpox, are infants and people with weakened immune systems. Therefore, the logical way to prevent chickenpox naturally is to focus on ways to boost the immune system.
- Getting more sleep (or better quality sleep), eating more fresh fruit and vegetables, avoiding bleached sugar, reducing alcohol consumption, quitting smoking, adopting good healthy habits, and getting moderate exercise are all proven ways. can keep the immune system strong.
- Immune-boosting dietary supplements are: vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, echinacea, and olive leaf extract.
- People can have a weakened immune system due to disease (cancer, diabetes, HIV infection), medical treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, steroid use, overtreatment), chronic stress, and poor nutrition.
Step 3. Avoid children and adults who have chickenpox
Chickenpox is highly contagious, because it is not only spread directly by touching the smallpox blisters, but also through the air (through coughing and sneezing), and can survive for a short period of time on mucous membranes or other objects. Thus, avoiding infected people is a good strategy to help prevent getting infected with chickenpox. The tricky thing is that chickenpox can be contagious for up to 2 days before the rash appears, so it's not always obvious who is infected. A low-grade fever is often the first sign of infection, so it may be a good indicator that your child has something.
- Isolating the child in his room (with proper food and drink, of course) and taking the day off from school (at least a week) are ways to prevent infection from spreading to you and other children. Wearing a mask and trimming his nails to keep them short also helps prevent the transmission of the virus.
- The time after exposure to chickenpox until infection occurs is 10-21 days.
- Chickenpox can also be transmitted from humans with a condition called shingles (though not through the air due to splashes from coughing or sneezing), because it is also caused by the Varicella Zoster virus.
Part 2 of 2: Preventing the Spread of Chickenpox
Step 1. Disinfect the house and hands
Because chickenpox is highly contagious and can live outside the body for a short period of time, you should be vigilant about disinfecting your home as a precaution if your child or partner is infected. Regular disinfection of kitchen countertops, tables, armchairs, toys, and other surfaces that an infected person may have come into contact with is a good way of prevention. Consider providing a bathroom only for the infected person to use when he or she is sick, if possible. Also, disinfect your hands several times a day by washing them with plain soap, but don't overuse hand sanitizer, as this liquid can trigger the growth of super bugs (bacteria that are resistant to some antibiotics).
- Natural disinfectants for household use are white vinegar, lemon juice, salt water, dissolved bleach, and hydrogen peroxide.
- You should also make sure the infected person's clothes, sheets, and towels are washed regularly and thoroughly-add baking soda to the laundry to make it cleaner.
- Try not to rub your eyes or put your fingers in your mouth after touching someone who has chickenpox.
Step 2. Let the disease occur naturally
Since chickenpox is not a serious disease in the vast majority of cases, leaving it alone is the best way to gain natural immunity to the Varicella Zoster virus, which will prevent future infections. Chickenpox infection usually lasts between 5-10 days and causes rash formation, low-grade fever, loss of appetite, lightheadedness, and generalized fatigue or measles.
- If a chickenpox rash appears, it will go through 3 phases: a pink or red bump (a raised bump), which bursts a few days later; fluid-filled blisters (vesicles), which quickly form from the lump before bursting and oozing; and a hard scab, which covers the ruptured vesicle, and takes several days to completely heal.
- Itchy rash first appears on the face, chest, back before spreading to other parts of the body.
- As many as 300-500 blisters can form during a chickenpox infection.
Step 3. Consult the doctor for antiviral drugs
In addition to preventive vaccinations, drugs called antivirals are recommended for people who have a high risk of complications from chickenpox, or are sometimes prescribed to shorten the duration and prevent transmission of the infection. As the name suggests, antivirals are able to kill viruses or prevent them from producing in the body. Commonly prescribed antivirals for the treatment of chickenpox are acyclovir (Zovirax), valacyclovir (Valtrex), famciclovir (Famvir), and intravenous injection of immune globulin (IGIV). These drugs are used to reduce the severity of chickenpox symptoms, rather than prevent them, so they are usually given within 24 hours of the rash appearing.
- Valacyclovir and famciclovir are only allowed for adults, not children.
- Natural antiviral compounds that can be used as supplements are vitamin C, olive leaf extract, garlic, oregano oil, and colloidal silver solution products. Consult a naturopath (a system of therapy with natural medicine), a chiropractor (the treatment of disorders of the spinal muscular system), or a nutritionist about how to protect the body from chickenpox with natural antivirals.
Tips
- About 15-20 percent of people who get a single dose of Varicella vaccine still get chickenpox if exposed to the virus.
- Although the Varicella vaccine is not suitable for pregnant women, alternative injections containing Varicella immune globulin may be given to help protect pregnant women who are not immune to infection.
- Remember, if you've had the chickenpox vaccine, you can still pass it on to other people.
