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Are there any prescription treatments for chicken pox?

Chicken pox is a highly contagious infection caused by the varicella virus. It occurs most often in children and usually causes mild illness. Symptoms include low fever, chills, headache, fatigue, and an itching rash with dot-like sores or bumps that appear anywhere on the body. Chicken pox sores usually heal on their own within 20 days.

Acyclovir (brand name Zovirax) is a prescription antiviral medicine that helps kill the varicella virus. Although most people recover from chicken pox without treatment, acyclovir can help fight severe infections by decreasing the number of chicken pox sores, reducing the duration of illness, and easing nausea, vomiting, and fever. Doctors usually only prescribe acyclovir for adults and teenagers with chicken pox, as children rarely have severe symptoms.

In otherwise healthy children with chicken pox, only the symptoms are treated. Non drug treatments and over-the-counter products can help reduce the itching, fever, and discomfort. Never give aspirin to a child with chicken pox or any viral infection. It can cause a rare but potentially fatal complication called Reye's Syndrome.

Sources:
Habif, Thomas. Clinical Dermatology. Mosby-Year Book Inc., 1996.
Drug Facts and Comparisons. Facts and Comparisons, Inc., 2001.
Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs. American Pharmaceutical Association, 2000.
The Merck Manual of Medical Information. Merck, Inc., 1999.
Micromedex Healthcare Series. Micromedex, Inc., 2001.

This answer prepared on 7/13/01.

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