What does pox look like

Transmission of the avian pox virus can occur in a number of ways. The disease can be spread via mechanical vectors, primarily by species of mosquitoes at least Transmission occurs when the mosquito feeds on an infected bird that has a viremia pox virus circulating in the blood present or on virus-laden secretions from a pox lesion and then feeds on an uninfected bird.

Mosquitoes can harbor and transmit the virus for a month or longer after feeding on an infected bird. Experimentally, stable flies have shown the capability of being able to transmit the pox virus. Avian pox can also be transmitted by direct contact between infected and susceptible birds. The virus is transmitted through abraded or broken skin or the conjunctiva mucous membrane covering the anterior surface of the eyeball. Indirect transmission of the pox virus can also occur via ingestion when food and water sources, feeders, perches, cages, or clothing are contaminated with virus-containing scabs shed from the lesions of an infected bird.

The pox virus is highly resistant to drying and may survive months to years in the dried scabs. Indirect transmission can also occur via inhalation of pox virus infected dander, feather debris and air-borne particles.

Mosquitoes are probably responsible for transmission within local areas, while wild birds are responsible for outbreaks over greater distances. Avian pox occurs in 2 forms, cutaneous dry and diphtheritic wet. The cutaneous form is the most commonly observed and is a self-limiting infection with the lesions regressing and forming scars. Initially, this form of pox appears as a small white, pink, or yellow vesicle blister on unfeathered parts of the skin feet, legs, base of the beak, eye margins and head.

The vesicle is a result of the separation of the surface layer of the skin with the formation of pockets of watery fluid rich in multiplying virus.

The vesicles become nodules as they increase in size, coalesce, and burst. Lymph from the cells congeals and scabs are formed. The surface of the nodules become rough and dry and the color changes to dark brown or black. The size and number of nodules present depends on the stage and severity of the infection.

Bacteria may gain access causing secondary infection and resulting in a purulent discharge pus and necrosis. Eventually, the scab falls off and a scar forms at the site.

It's rare to get chickenpox when you're pregnant, and the chance of it causing complications is low. If you do get chickenpox when you're pregnant, there's a small risk of your baby being very ill when it's born.

Speak to a GP if you have not had chickenpox and have been near someone with it. You can get the chickenpox vaccine on the NHS if there's a risk of harming someone with a weakened immune system if you spread the virus to them. For example, a child can be vaccinated if 1 of their parents is having chemotherapy. You can also pay for the vaccine at some private clinics or travel clinics.

You can catch chickenpox from someone with shingles if you have not had chickenpox before. When you get chickenpox, the virus stays in your body. The virus can be triggered again if your immune system is weak. This causes shingles. This can happen because of stress, certain conditions, or treatments like chemotherapy. Page last reviewed: 27 November Next review due: 27 November This works best if it is given within 24 hours of developing symptoms.

It reduces the severity of symptoms but does not cure the disease. There is no cure for chickenpox, but a vaccine is available for VZV. People should avoid close contact with people known to have chickenpox, avoid sharing objects with them, isolate any household members with chickenpox from others, and disinfect surfaces an infected person may have touched. Among unvaccinated people who develop chickenpox, a few people may have more severe symptoms.

Adults are more susceptible to complications than children, but even in adults, they are rare. Pregnant women, newborns, and infants up to 4 weeks old, as well as those with weakened immune systems, are more likely to experience complications. People who are pregnant have a slightly higher risk of developing pneumonia from chickenpox.

There is also a danger of passing the infection to the fetus. If infection occurs during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy, there is a higher risk of congenital varicella syndrome. This can cause scarring in the fetus, as well as eye problems, brain drainage, and shortened arms or legs. If the infection happens later in pregnancy, the virus can transmit directly to the fetus and the baby can be born infected.

If a person becomes exposed to varicella during pregnancy, it is important to talk to a doctor right away. In cases when a person is not vaccinated and is not sure whether they have had chickenpox as a child, they can get a laboratory test to determine whether they did have the virus in the past.

People who have had chickenpox as children will not get the disease again. This is because they develop immunity to the virus. If a person who has been exposed to someone with chickenpox is not sure if they had the illness as a child, getting tested can help them know if they are at risk for getting the disease. Another reason to get tested is to help a doctor distinguish the symptoms of chickenpox from other conditions with similar symptoms. One of those conditions may be shingles. In some cases, a doctor may think that a person has shingles and not chickenpox.

When a person has chickenpox and recovers, the virus stays in their body and becomes dormant. Later in life, in situations of low immunity, the virus can reactivate as shingles. People who have active shingles cannot give other people shingles. However, they can infect others with chickenpox if those people have not already had the illness, are not vaccinated, or are immunocompromised. Usually, people will experience an intensely painful rash that looks like a patch of raised dots and follows the path of a nerve on one side of the body.

This may be on the face or the trunk of the body, but may also occur in other areas. The rash may be itchy. In addition, a person may also feel stabbing pain. Later, the rash will turn into fluid-filled blisters that crust over within several days. When a person gets shingles, they may also get a fever or a headache.