I'm 17 and have never had chickenpox?

Question

I took my little brother out yesterday and this morning he came into my room and he's covered with them. Is there a good chance I could get them if I've been exposed to the virus before when I was a kid and didn't get them, and is there any chance of preventing them?

Answer 1

my ex hubby got chicken pox from our kids when he was way after 30, he suffered so much. so i guess earlier u get this better u feel after

Answer 2

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Answer 3

I'm 37 and I've never had it even though I was exposed as a child. Got the shot a few years ago along with my baby. You should know in a couple weeks if you've caught it from your brother. Chicken Pox has a two-week incubation period and is highly contagious by air transmission two days before symptoms appear.

You may have an immunity to it or you may develop it -- it's hard to tell.

You can boost your chances of avoiding it by getting a vaccination -- if you don't come down with it after exposure to your brother you should really consider vaccination. When an adult has Chicken Pox, the infection can be more serious than it is in children. Two shots are recommended for people 13 years or older who have not had Chicken Pox.

Adolescents or adults are more likely to have complications from Chicken Pox than children. People who have trouble fighting infections are especially at risk for problems. This includes people being treated for cancer with chemotherapy or radiation, people who use steroids for other medical conditions, and people who have HIV infection. Possible complications are pneumonia or problems with the kidneys, heart, or joints. The nervous system may be affected, which may cause irritation and swelling in the brain (meningitis or encephalitis) or other types of nervous system problems. Sometimes an infection of the skin develops because bacteria get into sores when they are scratched.

Prior to the introduction of vaccine, there were around 4,000,000 cases per year in the U.S., mostly children, with typically 100 or fewer deaths. Though mostly children caught it, the majority of deaths (by as much as 80%) were among adults. Additionally, Chicken Pox involved the hospitalization of about 10,000 people each year

Answer 4

Chickenpox in Adults
Chickenpox causes a rash and can make you feel generally unwell. Symptoms tend to be worse in adults than children. Treatment aims to ease symptoms until the illness goes. Full recovery is usual. Serious complications are rare, but are more common in adults than children and are more likely to occur in people with a poor immune system such as those on chemotherapy.


What is chickenpox?

Chickenpox is an infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus. The immune system makes antibodies during the infection. These fight the virus and then provide lifelong immunity. Therefore, it is rare to have more than one bout of chickenpox.

Most people have chickenpox as a child. About 9 in 10 people have had it by the age of 15. It is uncommon for adults to have chickenpox.

What are the symptoms of chickenpox?
Symptoms are usually more severe in adults than in children. You can expect to have a few uncomfortable days.

Fever (temperature), aches and headache often start a day or so before a rash appears.
Rash. Spots appear in crops. The spots develop into small blisters and are itchy. They can be anywhere on the body and sometimes also in the mouth. Several crops may develop over several days. Some people are covered in spots, others have only a few.
Dry cough, sore throat, and feeling sick are common.
The fever and generally feeling unwell can last several days. The blisters gradually dry up and scab. They slowly fade over a week or so, but may take 2-3 weeks to go completely. A dry cough may persist for a while after all the other symptoms have gone.

What is the treatment for chickenpox?

Treatment aims to ease symptoms whilst your immune system fights the virus.

Have plenty to drink to avoid dehydration.
Take paracetamol or ibuprofen to ease fever, headaches, and aches and pains.
Crotamiton lotion or cream put on the spots may ease itching.
Antihistamine tablets or liquid medicine taken at bedtime may help you to sleep if itch is a problem at night. You can buy these at pharmacies, or get them on prescription.
Antiviral medication is used in special circumstances where chickenpox can be more serious. For example, people who have a poor immune system, newborn babies, and in some cases of chickenpox in pregnant women.

Are there any complications?

The spots do not usually scar unless they are badly scratched.
In some cases, some spots become infected with bacteria. If this occurs the surrounding skin becomes red and sore. Antibiotics may then be needed.
Inflammation of the lung (pneumonia) is a rare complication affecting about 1 in 100 adults with chickenpox.
Inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) is a very rare complication.
See a doctor urgently if you become breathless, confused, or if you have any unusual or severe symptoms. Also, pregnant women have a higher risk of developing complications. See a doctor urgently if you are pregnant and develop chickenpox.


Is chickenpox infectious?

Yes, it is very infectious. The virus travels in the air and then settles on clothes, bedding, etc. It takes 11-20 days to develop symptoms after catching the virus (the 'incubation period').

Protecting others

A person with chickenpox is infectious from 2-4 days before the rash first appears until all the spots have crusted over (commonly about 5-6 days after onset of the illness). You can usually return to work after this time if you feel well enough. Whilst you are infectious, keep away from people who may get a severe illness if they get chickenpox. These are:

Pregnant women who have not had chickenpox in the past.
People with a poor immune system. For example, people with leukaemia, with HIV/AIDS, on high dose steroid medication, or are taking chemotherapy.
Healthy people who have not had chickenpox may also want to avoid catching it. So, friends and family who have not had chickenpox may wish avoid you whilst you are infectious. However, most healthy adults and many children have already had chickenpox, and so are immune.

Answer 5

Yep. It is most probable that you will get it. In two weeks time you should see the first spot (ususally on the back or torso). Do not scratch them (calamine lotion is good for them) Let's hope you don;t get it, but I would be very surprised (Actually the younger you get it the better, so in some ways it might be good, as you get older you ususally get shingles which is a much worse case than chicken pox)

Answer 6

Better do your best to catch it off him, time to spend a lot of time with your brother. If you do this and you still don't catch them, you probably never will, but it's not gauranteed. I believe he will no longer be infectious once the spot have crusted over, about a week. I know that's a long time to be nice to him!!

Answer 7

I caught chickenpox at 48. If you do catch them, contact the Red Cross in your area. Adults who have recently had this virus are a valuable source of vaccines. This is not a joke.

Answer 8

Yes, you can get them. And you will probably get sicker than your brother, for some reason if you are older when you get them you get way sicker. Have your parents take very good care of you if you do come down with them. If you are lucky and don't get them, go get a Varicella vaccination, that shot prevents some people from getting chicken pox, and in others they get a very mild case.

Answer 9

Well I'm 41 and have never had them. My mum had it wen i was bout 3 and she had shingles wen i was bout 12 and my 3 kids had it all together in 1996 and i dint catch it then either. Maybe I'm just lucky.

Answer 10

I am 40 and never had chicken pox, all my kids had them and I really thought I would catch them. The doctor reckons that as I was exposed to it as a kid, I got immune to it.... Hope you don't get it as an older person, it tends to be worse for an adult.

Answer 11

yes u can catch them... the infectious part is a wk or so before the spots appear. once the spots have came out then it is not infectious.. aparently using calamine lotion does nothing anymore.. catching chicken pox when ur older can be a bit more dangerous as it turns to shingles, and can be very painfull... i have 3 kids and they each caught chicken pox a week after eachother.. i also know someone who has had chicken pox 6 times so when people say u cant catch it again once u have had it..... its not true.