More than 90 per cent of cases are children aged one to 14 years. Herpes zoster, a sporadic disease, is the consequence of reactivation of a latent virus from the dorsal root ganglia. It is most commonly seen in the elderly. Victorian Statutory Requirement Statutory notification not required. Clinical Features Chicken pox presents with a low-grade fever, malaise and a rash that is maculopapular then vesicular for three to four days, becoming crusted.
Lesions appear in crops on the trunk, face, scalp and mucous membranes of the mouth.
The rash lasts up to several weeks depending on severity. A common complication in children with chicken pox is bacterial superinfection of the skin. Other complications include aseptic meningitis, encephalitis and Reye's syndrome. Varicella pneumonia may be a complication in adults. Those at risk of a more severe form of infection are children who have acute leukaemia and those in remission following chemotherapy.