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Original poster

I don't think this is ChickenPox, what else could it be?

29 replies

SlightlyMadStar · 21/08/2007 18:09

DD3 has 4 small fluid filled blisters on her back.

They don't look as red and raised as remember chickenpox.
She has/is not unwell (although was very ill 10-14 days ago with a herpes infection)
First noticed blisters this morning. There have been no more developing since.
She has hardly been out of the house to pick up virus in last 14 days (although incubation can be up to 21 days).

These observations are all different to what I recall of DTDs chickenpox.

However she is just recovering from an oral herpes and thumb herpes infection. Could it be that? Seems unlikey to have passed this to her back via contact.

Any other suggestions? I am thinking if it is the pox she doesn't need to see GP, but might if it something else?

I suppose this will be her 3rd consecutive week off nursery [sigh]

OP posts:

gess · 21/08/2007 18:13

Could be molluscum, but do search eczema herpeticum. I can send you photos of ds1's if you want. It can be very nasty (although ds1 was fine in himself when he had it).

Ds1's eczema herpeticum was initially misdiagnosed (by GP) as chickenpox. The main difference is that eczema herepticum spots are in slight pits, although they were only reallly obvious on ds1's leg.

Can you CAT? I can if you can't. Would be happy to send a whole bunch of photos to compare.

Slubberdegullion · 21/08/2007 18:15

We are in pox house here.

dd2 is covered with lots of lovely vesicles.

dd1 has 5 spots, yes just 5 on her torso & back. They also look like classic chicken pox vesicles, and as she and dd1 must of caught it off the same child at the same play date I have to assume that she has a very mild case of it. If dd2 didn't have it at all I really don't think I would have noticed dd1 spots at all.

I guess a trip to the GP would confirm your diagnosis.

princessmel · 21/08/2007 18:18

Just wanted to add that we're a pox house too.

Ds has it and dd had it 2 weeks ago.

He's quite grumpy and has a temp.

As the pox is a form of the herpes virus it could be that couldn't it?? I'm just guessing.

Original poster

SlightlyMadStar · 21/08/2007 18:20

Gess I googled eczema herpeticum last week when we were talking about the blisters/vesicles on her thumb. I really don't think it is that based on the images and the fact that eczema seems to be a pre-requistite for that.

Just googled molloscum and got this image. It is quite similar to this. I will have a bit more of a read about this and see if it fits

OP posts:

jalopy · 21/08/2007 18:22

Shingles?

Original poster

SlightlyMadStar · 21/08/2007 18:22

Chicken pox is herpes simplex, chicken pox is herpes zoster (I think). Thats like comparing a poodle with a great dane - so I don't think they are related in that sense.

OP posts:

Original poster

SlightlyMadStar · 21/08/2007 18:22

Can't be shingles - shes not had the pox

OP posts:

jalopy · 21/08/2007 18:24

Sorry! Got confused reading your post.

gess · 21/08/2007 18:24

ds1 didn't have much eczema until after the eczema herpeticum. It's more a break in the skin that allows the virus to enter.

FlameBatfink · 21/08/2007 18:29

DD had some spots last week... they turned out to be really bizarre bites (they looked just like pox for the first 12 hours)

Original poster

SlightlyMadStar · 21/08/2007 18:32

I guess she will be seeing the GP for the 6th time in 10 days then, he's going to do a runner when he sees her name.....

I am right in thinking that chicken pox normally has a very red base?

OP posts:

princessmel · 21/08/2007 18:33

Not all ds's are red. Some are skin coloured.

LIZS · 21/08/2007 18:37

molluscum ?

Slubberdegullion · 21/08/2007 18:38

ditto mel. Some of dd2's are just red, some are red and fluid filled, and some are just skin coloured fluid filled.

Oooooh the facinating world of the pox

Original poster

SlightlyMadStar · 21/08/2007 18:40

gess - would a break in the skin of the thumb allow the virus to travel to her back?

She has no lesions on her back - it is (or was before the blisters) as smooth as a babies bum .

Can I trade her for a newer model as she just can't get over this bloody thing. It is travelling from one part of her body to another?

OP posts:

gess · 21/08/2007 18:43

well a break in the skin one ds1's chest allowed to travel around his entire body. I think it went chest then face and down then finally legs. It was misdxed as chickenpox by the GP (no blame- it looked like cp to me too). The key feature according to the dermatologist was the slightly pitted form to the spots, but that was more visible on the ones that hadn't blistered.

Send me a CAT and I'll send photos!

gess · 21/08/2007 18:44

DS1 dsidn't have eczema on his chest pre the infection by the way- he had a mole that was behaving a little strangely (was irritated- but not eczema)

Original poster

SlightlyMadStar · 21/08/2007 18:45

Gess - my email is on my profile for the next hour or so (give the profile server 5 mins to update)

OP posts:

Original poster

SlightlyMadStar · 21/08/2007 18:56

Thing is all these bloody pox based viruses look the same. How on earth do you (or GP) differentiate between them?

OP posts:

gess · 21/08/2007 18:57

OK sent a bunch of photos. Prob photo 2 is the most useful. Unfortunately have no leg piccies and they were the classics in terms of e herpeticum (have polaroid photos but no scanner).

Any doubt Id consider e herpeticum as its so close to the herpes infection. It can be very nasty (as in fatal!) so do ask for a derm referral etc if your GP isn't sure- we had a very quick derm referral.

gess · 21/08/2007 19:06

BTW the red bits were a secondary (bacterial) infection.

Original poster

SlightlyMadStar · 21/08/2007 19:14

Poor DS - that looks horrific (if you don't mind me saying so). I did wonder if there was a bacterial component there - his face looked so sore.

DDs back certainly doesn't look anything like that (although may obviously develop further if it is e herpecetum). Her thumb, which would obviously be the site of initial infection of it is doesn't really look like that either. It is red and sore from a bacterial infection which needs to heal. The blisters which were present GP thought they may be part of bacterial - I think it was more likely herpetic whitlow given she had a v nasty oral herpes infection and sucks her thumb and had a break in the skin of her thumb are also healing.

What is/was the treatment for e herpecetum? time? anti-virals?

OP posts:

Original poster

SlightlyMadStar · 21/08/2007 19:15

I guess it is a difficult comparison to make as your DS's was obviously fairly advanced in those pics. If it is that DD3 is in the first day or so.

How long after first vesciles on the face was the pic in the bath taken?

OP posts:

gess · 21/08/2007 19:47

the earliest photot was the face- taken about 2 days after the clear skin photo- the bath about a week or two later, but you can see the blisters more clearly as the bacterial infection had cleared. I;d say typically the blisters are smaller than cp ones (and less fleshy that molluscum). The classic legs ones were small blisters in a mild pit, but no crusting or weeping, quite dry.

Any doubt at all get it checked - very hard for GPs to recognise though.

FlameBatfink · 22/08/2007 21:26

How's she doing?

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