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[Complicated chickenpox in a national pediatric Peruvian hospital, 2001-2011]

Edwin Miranda-Choque1, Jorge Candela-Herrera, Javier Díaz-Pera

  • 1Instituto Nacional de Salud del Niño, Lima, Perú. emirandach@hotmail.com

Revista Peruana De Medicina Experimental Y Salud Publica
|April 25, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Complicated chickenpox disproportionately affected young children under five, with secondary skin infections being the most common complication. The study highlights a low mortality rate among hospitalized pediatric cases.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Epidemiology

Context:

  • Chickenpox (varicella) can lead to severe complications, particularly in children.
  • Understanding the clinical and epidemiological profile of complicated cases is crucial for public health.
  • The National Institute of Children's Health (INSN) in Peru serves as a key referral center for pediatric cases.

Purpose:

  • To describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of complicated chickenpox cases in children.
  • To identify the most frequent complications and outcomes, including mortality.
  • To provide data from a decade-long period (2001-2011) at a national pediatric institute.

Summary:

  • A case series of 1,073 children with complicated chickenpox was analyzed.
  • The median age of affected children was 2.5 years, with males representing 54%.
  • Secondary skin and soft tissue infections were the most prevalent complication (72%), and 13 deaths (1.4%) were recorded.

Impact:

  • The findings indicate that complicated chickenpox primarily impacts children under five.
  • The study emphasizes that secondary skin infections are the leading complication.
  • Results suggest a low mortality rate for hospitalized complicated chickenpox cases, informing clinical management and public health strategies.

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