title: Therapeutic approach to chickenpox in children and adults--our experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chickenpox is highly contagious childhood disease which occurs as a result of varicella-zoster virus primary infection. Symptomatic therapy is usually adequate for chickenpox, but in some cases it requires combinations of antiviral drugs and antibiotics.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To present our expirience with chickenpox therapy in children and adult patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study included 120 randomly chosen patients, 60 adults and 60 children, with confirmed chickenpox infection, hospitalised at Clinic for infectious diseases in Sarajevo. Observed period was 1st January 2005. to 30th June 2011. We compared used therapy and outcome of disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We had 333 patients with confirmed chickenpox in mentioned period. Male sex prevailed. Antiviral (acyclovir) therapy was initiated in 8(13.5%) adults and 16(27%) children. Most frequently used antibiotic was Co-Amoxiclav in a group of adults and Ceftriaxone in a group of children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We use different terapeutical approaches to chickenpox according to the severity of the clinical picture and the existence of underlying diseases. Symptomatic treatment is indicated in all immunocompetent patients with no signs of complications. Use of corticosteroids remains open dillemma. Our therapeutical approcach followed by actual guidelines proved to be usefull. No death cases were recorded in these
authors.affiliation: Clinic for infectious diseases, Clinical center of University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. rusmirb@gmail.com
authors.forename: Rusmir
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Baljic
authors.forename: Snjezana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mehanic
authors.forename: Bilal
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Imsirovic
authors.forename: Aida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahmetspahic-Begic
authors.forename: Enra
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lukovac
authors.forename: Izet
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Baljic
authors.forename: Selma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hasimbegovic-Ibrahimovic
authors.forename: Belma
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gazibera
authors.forename: Maho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gutosic
mesh_terms: D000212:Acyclovir / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000212:Acyclovir