Chickenpox lurks throughout the country

Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Dac Phu - Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine (Ministry of Health) said that in 2017, the whole country recorded nearly 39,000 cases (an increase of 45.9% compared to 2016), the scale was almost nationwide. This is a disease that tends to increase in the spring months, so we need to be very vigilant.

According to experts' warnings,Chickenpox tends to increase in the spring months, starting in January, peaking in March and then gradually decreasing. It is predicted that there will be 8,000 cases of chickenpox at peak, with less than 3,000 cases in the remaining months.

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In Ho Chi Minh City, Associate Professor Dr. Phan Trong Lan, Director of the Pasteur Institute of Ho Chi Minh City, said that the number of chickenpox cases in this locality is also very high. In 2017, chickenpox increased by 46% (459/316). Vaccination is the most proactive measure to protect against chickenpox, so parents should vaccinate their children, especially as spring approaches.

Chickenpox is a benign disease. If the patient is well cared for, has a nutritious diet, and is clean, he or she will recover quickly. However, if complications arise, of which secondary infection is the most common complication, it is very dangerous: If the secondary infection is severe, bacteria can enter the blood from the blisters and cause sepsis. In addition, other complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis, cerebellum, etc. can be life-threatening. Even if cured, they will leave sequelae.

People of all ages can get chickenpox. Children between the ages of 2 and 8 are at the highest risk. Adults can still get the disease if they are not properly vaccinated. When adults get the disease, especially pregnant women, the risk of complications is higher and more severe than in children.

Chickenpox is transmitted through the respiratory tract by direct contact. Secretions from an infected person can be transmitted indirectly to others through objects.

Chickenpox appears 10-14 days after exposure to the source of the disease. The contagious period of the disease is 1-2 days before the rash appears and within 5 days after the first blisters appear. The disease lasts 7-10 days if there are no complications, the blisters will gradually dry, flake off, and the skin will darken where the blisters appeared, leaving no scars, but if infected, the blisters can leave scars.

Chickenpox can be prevented by vaccination, so adults and children who have not had the disease should be vaccinated to reduce the risk of infection. In particular, people who have been exposed to the source of infection in the first 3 days can still be vaccinated to prevent the disease.

There are also cases where people still get the infection after being vaccinated, but these cases are only mild, with very few burns and usually without complications.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that each person should receive two doses of the chickenpox vaccine. This vaccine is given to children from 1 year old and adults (who have not had chickenpox).