Chickenpox (varicella)

Chickenpox is a very contagious infection caused by the varicella zoster virus. Chickenpox can affect anyone at any age.

Most people with chickenpox have mild symptoms and get better quickly. In rare cases, the virus can cause serious complications such as:

• pneumonia
• meningitis
• vision changes

This page gives advice for adults and children above 5 years of age. Visit the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby website to learn more about:

• chickenpox during pregnancy (Opens in new tab)
• chickenpox in babies and younger children (Opens in new tab)

Chickenpox is caused by the varicella zoster virus. Chickenpox is very contagious. You are likely to catch chickenpox if you aren't immune and come into contact with an infected person. You may be immune if you:

• are vaccinated against chickenpox
• have previously had chickenpox

How is chickenpox spread?

The chickenpox virus is spread in 2 ways:

1. Before the rash appears, the virus spreads through cough droplets that can travel through the air. This means an infected person can spread chickenpox before they know that they are sick.
2. Once the rash has developed, the virus can be spread through contact with the fluid in the blisters.

If you have chickenpox, you should stay home until you are no longer contagious. Chickenpox is no longer contagious once all your blisters have crusted over.

You should see your doctor if you have symptoms of chickenpox to be sure you are diagnosed correctly.

Because chickenpox is very contagious, you should call your doctor before your visit. They will tell you the safest way to see them.

You should see your doctor urgently if you have severe symptoms, including:

• high fever
• neck pain
• difficulty breathing
• sore, red areas around blisters
• vision changes or eye pain

Severe symptoms may be a sign of complications that need medical treatment.

Chickenpox is a notifiable disease in most states and territories in Australia. This means that your doctor must report cases of chickenpox to the local Department of Health. The Department monitors and tracks cases of chickenpox to find outbreaks and improve healthcare responses.

Should I keep my child home from school?

You should keep your child home from school until all their blisters have dried out. This is usually around 5 days after they first appear.

Here's a list of common childhood illnesses including chickenpox, and their recommended exclusion periods.

Chickenpox is very contagious for anyone who is not immune.

If you have been vaccinated or have had chickenpox in the past, you are unlikely to catch chickenpox again.

Chickenpox can be more dangerous for some groups of people, including:

• pregnant people
• people with weakened immune systems, such as patients receiving chemotherapy
• babies
• older people

If you are in one of these groups and have been near someone with chickenpox, you should see your doctor — even if you have no symptoms.

In some cases, your doctor may prescribe:

• antibodies to reduce your chance of becoming infected
• antivirals to reduce the severity of the illness if you are infected

Chickenpox and pregnancy

Chickenpox is especially dangerous during pregnancy (Opens in new tab) and for babies (Opens in new tab). If you catch chickenpox for the first time when you're pregnant, you are more likely to develop a serious illness and have complications.

If you catch chickenpox while pregnant, your baby may be born with:

• severe chickenpox
• birth (congenital) differences

If you are planning a pregnancy, see your doctor for advice about pre-conception screening (Opens in new tab) for immunity to chickenpox.

The chickenpox vaccine is not advised during pregnancy, so it's better to get the vaccine before you're pregnant.

For more information about chickenpox during pregnancy visit the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Opens in new tab) website.

Chickenpox is usually diagnosed by a doctor when they examine you. Your doctor may also ask if you've had recent contact with anyone who has chickenpox and about your vaccination history.

In some cases, they may do tests on fluid from your blisters to confirm that you have chickenpox.

Most people with chickenpox have mild symptoms and get better quickly without prescription medicines, but chickenpox can still be uncomfortable.

Chickenpox blisters can be very itchy. It can be hard to avoid scratching them — especially for children. However, if you scratch your blisters, they are more likely to become infected and leave scars. Some people find it helpful to keep their fingernails short to make scratching more difficult.

You can also try to ease your symptoms with these tips:

• Use soothing lotions and antihistamines to reduce itching.
• Take paracetamol to lower your fever — always follow the dose instructions on the packet.
• Keep hydrated with water and other fluids.
• Get plenty of rest.

Do not take:

• NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen)
• Aspirin (if under the age of 16)

These can increase the risk of complications.

Your doctor may prescribe an antiviral medicine if you are unwell or have a weakened immune system.

Antibiotics will not help you get better because chickenpox is caused by a virus, not bacteria.

Complications linked to chickenpox are rare, but can be serious. They may include:

• bacterial infection of skin blisters
• scarring
• pneumonia (lung infection)
• meningitis or encephalitis (inflammation of the brain or the lining of the brain)
• vision changes

If your chickenpox blisters become infected, your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic to treat the infection.

If you have been diagnosed with chickenpox and are concerned about complications, speak with your doctor.

The best way to prevent chickenpox is through vaccination.

Most vaccinated people will not get chickenpox. If you are vaccinated and you do get infected you will generally have a milder form of chickenpox and a quicker recovery.

You can get the chickenpox vaccine:

• on its own
• in combination with the vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR-V vaccination)

Children can receive the chickenpox vaccine for free on the National Immunisation Program (NIP) Schedule at 18 months of age.

To learn more about immunisation in Australia, you can visit the Department of Health Immunisation website (Opens in new tab).

The Sharing Knowledge About Immunisation (Opens in new tab) website has tools to help you make decisions about immunisation and your family.

The National Immunisation Program (NIP) Schedule (Opens in new tab) has a handy guide to which vaccines you need and when to get them.

Languages other than English

Health Translations (Opens in new tab) has information about vaccinations in many community languages.

Information for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples

The Department of Health offers specific information on immunisation for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people (Opens in new tab).