<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Primary Varicella zoster infection (chickenpox) in childhood is a common benign disease. The predominance of uncomplicated cases in children often overshadows the rarer cases of complicated severe course of the disease.</p>
<sec><h3>Objective</h3><p>To study the complications of primary chickenpox in hospitalized patients for a period of one year.</p></sec>
<sec><h3>Materials and Methods</h3><p>122 patients with complicated primary chickenpox with an average age of 18.6 years; 57 males (46.7%) and 64 females (53.3%), were hospitalized at the University Hospital of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases “Prof. Iv. Kirov” in the period January – December 2019.</p></sec>
<sec><h3>Results</h3><p>The bacterial infections of the skin and soft tissues comprised the largest relative frequenchy – they occurred in 74 (60.6%) of the patients; followed by pneumonia – in 31 (25.4%) patients, and a combination of pneumonia and pustulation – in 10 (8.2%) patients. Cerebelitis was observed in 1 (0.8%) patient. One of the patients developed hepatitis, purulent arthritis and acute enteritis. We also report the death of one patient.</p></sec>
<sec><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>We registered a relatively high proportion of hospitalizations, especially in young children and adults. Regarding the type of complications, we do not describe significant differences compared to other authors. Although in most cases primary chickenpox is a self-limiting disease, complications are more common in the countries where there is no vaccine.</p></sec>
</abstract>

Primary Varicella zoster infection (chickenpox) in childhood is a common benign disease. The predominance of uncomplicated cases in children often overshadows the rarer cases of complicated severe course of the disease.
ObjectiveTo study the complications of primary chickenpox in hospitalized patients for a period of one year.
Materials and Methods122 patients with complicated primary chickenpox with an average age of 18.6 years; 57 males (46.7%) and 64 females (53.3%), were hospitalized at the University Hospital of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases “Prof. Iv. Kirov” in the period January – December 2019.
ResultsThe bacterial infections of the skin and soft tissues comprised the largest relative frequenchy – they occurred in 74 (60.6%) of the patients; followed by pneumonia – in 31 (25.4%) patients, and a combination of pneumonia and pustulation – in 10 (8.2%) patients. Cerebelitis was observed in 1 (0.8%) patient. One of the patients developed hepatitis, purulent arthritis and acute enteritis. We also report the death of one patient.
ConclusionsWe registered a relatively high proportion of hospitalizations, especially in young children and adults. Regarding the type of complications, we do not describe significant differences compared to other authors. Although in most cases primary chickenpox is a self-limiting disease, complications are more common in the countries where there is no vaccine.

Complications of Chickenpox in Bulgaria – Data from a Single-Center Experience

University Hospital „Prof. Ivan Kirov”, Medical University

Department of Radio-communication and Video Technology

Acta Medica Bulgarica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Primary Varicella zoster infection (chickenpox) in childhood is a common benign disease. The predominance of uncomplicated cases in children often overshadows...

Complications of Chickenpox in Bulgaria – Data from a Single-Center Experience

Article Category: Original Articles

Published Online: Aug 11, 2021

Page range: 37 - 40

Received: Sep 10, 2020

Accepted: Jan 10, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/amb-2021-0021

Keywords
chickenpox, complications, pneumonia, varicella vaccine

© 2021 M. Popov et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Complications of Chickenpox in Bulgaria – Data from a Single-Center Experience

Article Category: Original Articles

Published Online: Aug 11, 2021

Page range: 37 - 40

Received: Sep 10, 2020

Accepted: Jan 10, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/amb-2021-0021

Keywordschickenpox, complications, pneumonia, varicella vaccine

© 2021 M. Popov et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
chickenpox, complications, pneumonia, varicella vaccine