Chickenpox in adults
and Martina Feichter, medical editor and biologistMareike Müller is a freelance writer in the medical department and assistant doctor for neurosurgery in Düsseldorf. She studied human medicine in Magdeburg and gained a lot of practical medical experience during her stays abroad on four different continents.
More about the expertsMartina Feichter studied biology with an elective subject pharmacy in Innsbruck and also immersed herself in the world of medicinal plants. From there it was not far to other medical topics that still captivate her to this day. She trained as a journalist at the Axel Springer Academy in Hamburg and has been working for since 2007 - first as an editor and since 2012 as a freelance writer.
More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.
Chickenpox in adults is less common than in children. At this age, however, they are often more severe and more likely to lead to complications than in small patients. People with a weakened immune system and pregnant women, for example, are particularly susceptible to this. However, adults can only get chickenpox if they have never had the disease and are not vaccinated against it. Read everything you need to know about the course and risks of chickenpox in adults here.
ICD codes for this disease: ICD codes are internationally recognized codes for medical diagnoses. They can be found, for example, in doctor's letters or on certificates of incapacity for work. P35B01
Chickenpox in adults: contagion
The first contact with the chickenpox pathogen usually takes place in childhood, and after the infection one is immune to it for life. In addition, many children are now vaccinated against chickenpox and this protection is long-lasting. Therefore, chickenpox affects adults less than (unvaccinated) children. In principle, however, you can get chickenpox at any age if you have not yet had the disease and are not vaccinated against it. In adults and children, infection mainly occurs via droplet or smear infection:
In the first case, the pathogens are transmitted by inhaling tiny droplets of saliva containing viruses, which the sick release into the surrounding air when they speak, cough, sneeze or exhale. In the case of smear infection, the virus is transmitted via contaminated objects such as door handles, cutlery or taps to which droplets of saliva containing virus adhere.
Chickenpox in adults: course
The symptoms in adults are basically the same as in children. These include general signs of illness such as malaise, fever or joint pain, as well as the characteristic rash with itchy, fluid-filled blisters. The rash usually only differs in that older patients usually form more blisters than small children. Another difference to “childhood” chickenpox: adult patients usually complain of a stronger feeling of illness.
Note: Typically, chickenpox lasts a little longer in adults than in children. In the latter, the infection usually heals within two weeks.
Complications
The greatest danger with a varicella infection in adulthood is the increased risk of complicated courses: Around every fifth adult with chickenpox develops what is known as varicella pneumonia. This is pneumonia caused by the chickenpox infection. It can be very difficult and even fatal. Pregnant women are particularly at risk of developing pneumonia like this. In addition, pregnant women can infect their unborn baby with chickenpox. Then a fetal varicella syndrome threatens with malformations and damage to the child.
Chickenpox can also cause central nervous system complications in adults (and children). These include, for example, balance disorders, paralysis and convulsions. Inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or meningitis (meningitis) can also develop.
In individual cases, chickenpox affects other areas of the body in adults (and children). This can lead to inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis), corneal damage in the eyes, inflammation of the joints (arthritis), inflammation of the kidneys (nephritis) or inflammation of the liver (hepatitis). An increased tendency to bleed is also possible.
Chickenpox in adults: prevention
The Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) at the Robert Koch Institute recommends vaccination against chickenpox in adults who are not protected against the pathogen (unvaccinated and no known chickenpox infection) in the following cases:
- Women who want to have children and have no antibodies against chickenpox in their blood
- Patients before starting therapy that weakens the immune system (e.g. treatment with immunosuppressants)
- Patients before an organ transplant
- Occupational groups at increased risk of infection (such as medical staff and preschool teachers)
For all other unprotected adults, the recommendation applies to avoid contact with sick people as far as possible.
If there was contact and (possibly) an infection, a so-called post-exposure chickenpox vaccination can be useful. It can prevent an outbreak of the disease or at least shorten its course. For this purpose, the unprotected are given the "normal", i.e. active vaccination or a dose of finished antibodies against varicella (passive vaccination):
- The active vaccination can be given to unprotected persons within five days of a possible infection. If the typical rash already shows up, vaccination is still possible within the first three days after the rash starts.
- The passive vaccination against chickenpox can also be useful after a (possible) infection. In contrast to active vaccination, it is also suitable for pregnant women.
Keyword shingles
Sometimes the chickenpox pathogens trigger another disease in adults (less often children): Shingles (herpes zoster): After an infection, the chickenpox viruses remain in the body. They then often "slumber" in certain areas of the nervous system for life. However, they can also become active again. Then the person in question gets shingles.
Tags: home remedies magazine unfulfilled wish to have children
