09/25/26 Public Health Education Topic: Chickenpox/Varicella

Per CDC

Key points

• Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV).

• The virus spreads mainly through close contact with someone who has chickenpox.

• The best way to prevent chickenpox is to get the chickenpox vaccine.

Signs and symptoms

The classic symptom of chickenpox is a rash that turns into itchy, fluid-filled blisters that eventually turn into scabs. The rash may first show up on the chest, back, and face, before it spreads to the rest of the body. A person with chickenpox may have as many as 500 blisters. It usually takes about 1 week for all of the blisters to become scabs.

Some people who have been vaccinated against chickenpox can still get the disease. However, they usually have milder symptoms.

How it spreads

Contact with someone with chickenpox

Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease caused by varicella-zoster virus (VZV). It mainly spreads from unvaccinated people with chickenpox to others who have never had the virus. Up to 90% of people who are not immune and close to someone with chickenpox will also get infected.

A person with chickenpox is contagious 1 to 2 days before the rash begins, until all the chickenpox lesions have crusted (scabbed over).

If a vaccinated person gets the disease, they can still spread it to others. Vaccinated people who get chickenpox may develop lesions that do not crust. These people are contagious until no new lesions have appeared for 24 hours.

Contact with someone with shingles

VZV also causes shingles. After people recover from chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in the body. People get shingles when VZV reactivates in their bodies later in life.

People who never had chickenpox or didn't get chickenpox vaccine can get infected with VZV from someone who has shingles. They will develop chickenpox, not shingles. These people can get the virus through:

• Direct contact with the fluid from shingles rash blisters.

  Breathing in virus particles that come from the blisters.

It takes about 2 weeks (10 to 21 days) after exposure to a person with chickenpox or shingles for someone to develop chickenpox.

Prevention

Protect yourself with the vaccine. The best way to prevent chickenpox is to get the chickenpox vaccine. Everyone—including children, adolescents, and adults—should get 2 doses of chickenpox vaccine if they have never had chickenpox or were never vaccinated. Most people who get the vaccine will not get chickenpox.

To learn more please visit: About Chickenpox | Chickenpox (Varicella) | CDC