For Patients/Families

Chicken pox (Varicella)
An acute, communicable, infectious disease, usually contracted by young children. Chicken pox is caused by the varicella virus. The infections is characterized by a fever and itchy, red spots usually appearing on the chest and stomach first, then appearing in crops over the entire body. The red spots turn into small blisters that dry up and form scabs over about a week. They occasionally cause scarring (particularly if scratched) or if they become infected with bacteria. Although this is usually a mild disease, it has become the largest cause of vaccine-preventable deaths in the U.S. About 30-40 children die each year from complications of chickenpox.