Reinfection of Chickenpox for the fourth time in an older adult

Rathinasamy Muthusamy; Vigneshwaran Srinivasan; Rijoe Rajulin; Ajayprakash Veerapandiyan

doi:10.52756/ijerr.2023.v30.007

Rathinasamy Muthusamy Department of Paediatrics, Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute, Ammapettai, Chengalpet, Tamil Nadu-603108, India http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3649-2222
Vigneshwaran Srinivasan Department of Paediatrics, Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute, Ammapettai, Chengalpet, Tamil Nadu-603108, India http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5905-7835
Rijoe Rajulin Department of Paediatrics, Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute, Ammapettai, Chengalpet, Tamil Nadu-603108, India http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4638-6768
Ajayprakash Veerapandiyan Department of Paediatrics, Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute, Ammapettai, Chengalpet, Tamil Nadu-603108, India http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8165-2267

DOI: https://doi.org/10.52756/ijerr.2023.v30.007

Keywords: Chickenpox, dermatologists, reinfection, rash, Varicella zoster virus

Abstract

CPeople with chickenpox often gain lifelong immunity after one infection. In most cases, chickenpox's natural immunity provides significant protection against reinfection. However, patients with a second reinfection have been encountered periodically. Neither population-based nor individual data are available on the frequency of reported second Varicella infections among Indians. The possibility of third-time reinfection is very rare, even in reputed literature. Here, we discuss a 68-year-old patient with four reinfections of chickenpox. Two reputed dermatologists confirmed his infection, and he recovered fully with Acyclovir and bed rest. The primary objective of this case report is to highlight the risk of chickenpox reinfections and reinfections occurring more than two times.

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