What is chicken pox?
Chickenpox is one of the commonest skin infections of childhood. It is characterized by the development of elevated boil like vesicles that are fluid filled, itchy lesions all over the body. It is seen most commonly in children. By itself, the infection dies down on its own, usually with no long term complications.

How does chickenpox occur?
Chickenpox is caused by varicella zoster virus. This virus remains in the body dormant and reactivates later in life to cause shingles (also called as herpes zoster).

How does one get chicken pox? Is it infectious?
Chickenpox spreads through contact with the fluid of skin lesions, either by airborne spread or through direct contact. The patient can transmit the infection 2 days before the appearance of rash and until the vesicles get crusted i.e. upto 3-7 days after the development of the rash.

Can chickenpox occur in newborns?
If the mother gets chickenpox 5 days prior to delivery till 2 days post delivery, then there are chances that the baby may have got infected in the womb itself. The baby can then get chickenpox rash. Rarely chickenpox can be transmitted in the first few months of pregnancy to the baby in the womb. In such situations it can lead to a condition called as varicella embryopathy. The disease mainly involves the skin, extremities, eyes and the brain. The affected limb may be shortened.