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

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. Objective To study the complications of primary chickenpox in hospitalized patients for a period of one year. Materials and Methods 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. Results 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. Conclusions 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.