• Question: Why do people get chickenpox?

    Asked by dynamitefire to Carol, Ellie, John, Philip, Rebecca on 29 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: Rebecca Lacey

      Rebecca Lacey answered on 29 Jun 2012:

      Hi dynamitefire

      Chicken pox is a common condition which lots of children get – but it is also possible to get as an adult.
      It is caused by infection with the varicella-zoster virus which is transmitted by droplets when people cough or sneeze, and can also be caused by touching infected fluid from the chicken pox spots of another person.

      Chicken pox is not very nice because it produces lots of itchy spots called a vesicular skin rash.

      I remember having chicken pox as a child and my Mum putting calamine lotion on the spots to try to stop them from being really itchy!

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