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Acute varicella-zoster

Last reviewed: 18 Aug 2025
Last updated: 31 May 2024

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • presence of risk factors
  • fever
  • vesicular rash
  • vesicles on mucous membranes
Full details

Other diagnostic factors

  • pruritus
  • headache
  • fatigue/malaise
  • sore throat
  • tachycardia
Full details

Risk factors

  • exposure to varicella
  • age 1 to 9 years
  • unimmunised status
  • occupational exposure
Full details

Diagnostic investigations

Primeras pruebas diagnósticas para solicitar

  • clinical diagnosis
Todos los datos

Pruebas diagnósticas que deben considerarse

  • polymerase chain reaction
  • viral culture
  • direct fluorescent antibody testing (DFA)
  • Tzanck smear
  • latex agglutination (LA)
  • enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
  • complement fixation
  • ultrasound (pregnant women)
Todos los datos

Algoritmo de tratamiento

Agudo

otherwise healthy children at low risk of severe disease

increased risk of moderate to severe disease

high risk of severe disease

severe disease

Colaboradores

Autores

Andrew Riordan, MD, FRCPCH, MRCP, DTM&H

Consultant in Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunology

Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital (Alder Hey)

Liverpool

UK

Divulgaciones

AR declares that he has no competing interests.

Agradecimientos

Dr Andrew Riordan would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Steven Pergam, Dr Rupali Jain, and Dr Anna Wald, previous contributors to this topic.

Divulgaciones

SP has served as a consultant for Merck & Co., Inc, Optimer/Cubist, and Chimerix, and has participated in clinical trials with these three organizations. He is also an author of a paper cited in this topic. RJ declares that she has no competing interests. AW is a member of the Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) for a Merck study of a candidate VZV vaccine.

Revisores por pares

Chad M. Hivnor, Major, USAF, MC, FS

Chief

Outpatient & Pediatric Dermatology

59th Medical Wing/ SGOMD

Lackland Air Force Base

San Antonio

TX

გაფრთხილება:

CMH declares that he has no competing interests.

Peer reviewer acknowledgements

BMJ Best Practice topics are updated on a rolling basis in line with developments in evidence and guidance. The peer reviewers listed here have reviewed the content at least once during the history of the topic.

Disclosures

Peer reviewer affiliations and disclosures pertain to the time of the review.

წყაროები

ჩვენი მტკიცებულებებისა და სარედაქციო ჯგუფები თანამშრომლობენ საერთაშორისო ექსპერტებსა და რეცენზენტებთან, რათა უზრუნველვყოთ თქვენი წვდომა კლინიკურად ყველაზე მნიშვნელოვან ინფორმაციაზე.

ძირითადი სტატიები

UK Health Security Agency. The Green Book: Varicella. Jun 2019 [internet publication].სრული ტექსტი

Marin M, Güris D, Chaves SS, et al; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prevention of varicella: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR Recomm Rep. 2007 Jun 22;56(RR-4):1-40.სრული ტექსტი  აბსტრაქტი

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Chickenpox in pregnancy (Green-top guideline no. 13). January 2015 [internet publication].სრული ტექსტი

American Academy of Pediatrics. Varicella-zoster virus infections. In: Kimberlin DW, ed. Red book 2021- 2024: report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases. 32nd ed. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics; 2021; 831-43.სრული ტექსტი

Pergam SA, Limaye AP, AST Infectious Diseases Community of Practice. Varicella zoster virus in solid organ transplantation: guidelines from the American Society of Transplantation Infectious Diseases Community of Practice. Clin Transplant. 2019 Sep;33(9):e13622. აბსტრაქტი

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chickenpox (varicella). For healthcare professionals. Oct 2022 [internet publication].სრული ტექსტი

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated recommendations for use of VariZIG - United States, 2013. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2013 Jul 19;62(28):574-6.სრული ტექსტი  აბსტრაქტი

გამოყენებული სტატიები

ამ თემაში მოხსენიებული წყაროების სრული სია ხელმისაწვდომია მომხმარებლებისთვის, რომლებსაც აქვთ წვდომა BMJ Best Practice-ის ყველა ნაწილზე.
  • Acute varicella-zoster images
  • დიფერენციული დიაგნოზები

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    • Herpes zoster infection (shingles)
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    მეტი დიფერენციული დიაგნოზები
  • გაიდლაინები

    • Recommended child and adolescent immunization schedules for ages 18 years or younger, United States, 2024
    • Varicella (chickenpox)
    მეტი გაიდლაინები
  • პაციენტის ბროშურები

    Chickenpox

    Chickenpox vaccine

    მეტი პაციენტის ბროშურები
  • padlock-lockedშედით სისტემაში ან გამოიწერეთ BMJ Best Practice

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