Ulcerative chicken pox in an immunocompetent child

Abstract

Varicella is a common, contagious infection, caused by herpesvirus 3. It is usually benign but rarely can be associated with potentially serious complications, requiring hospitalization.
In a study conducted in Spain, 64 (5.4%) of 1177 children attending the emergency room with varicella required admission for complications. The median age was 3.2 years. The most common complications were skin/soft tissue infections (33 patients) and the most common organisms were Streptococcus pyogenes (n = 13) and Staphylococcus aureus (n = 10). Other complications were pneumonia, and neurological, haematological and osteoarticular disorders. One patient died of multi-organ failure.1
A case report of a child with ulcerative chicken pox, a serious cutaneous complication, is presented.