|
treatment:
| • | children - routine treatment is not recommended (because the complications of varicella are infrequent in children age 12 and younger) |
| • | 13 and older – acyclovir 800mg 5x/day X 5 days (because varicella is more severe and complications are more common in adults) |
vaccine:
| • | live attenuated viral vaccine |
| • | modified varicella-like syndrome – develops in some immunized children on exposure to natural varicella |
| • | vaccinated children can still get herpes zoster (from the attenuated vaccine virus) |
Reye’s syndrome: a syndrome of hepatitis and acute encephalopathy
| • | is associated with the use of aspirin to treat the symptoms of varicella |
| • | therefore aspirin is absolutely contraindicated in patients with varicella |
| • | any child with varicella and severe vomiting should be referred immediately to exclude Reye’s syndrome |
|