Introduction to chickenpox: Chickenpox is one of the classic
childhood diseases. A young child covered in pox and out of
school for a week is a typical scene. The first half of the week
feels miserable from itching; the second half miserable from
boredom. Since the introduction of the chickenpox vaccine,
classic chickenpox is becoming less and less common. What is
chickenpox? Chickenpox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus,
a member of the herpesvirus family. Chickenpox is one of the
most contagious childhood illnesses. The disease is usually
mild, although serious complications sometimes occur. Some of
the complications include impetigo (especially when the pox are
scratched), hepatitis, pneumonia, encephalitis, meningitis, Reye
syndrome, and severe invasive streptococcal infections. Who gets
chickenpox? Before the vaccine, chickenpox was a standard
feature of childhood. Still, most cases occur in children
younger than ten. In the United States, the illness is most
common in the late winter and early spri