Bari A U, Simeen Ber Rahman.
Hematological abnormalities in adult patients of chicken pox.
J Pak Assoc Derma Jan ;14(4):193-7.

Background: Chicken pox (Varicella) is a highly communicable viral disease that occurs most often in children but it can occur at any age and can prove more fatal in adults, due to its complications like pneumonia, thrombocytopenia and neurological abnormalities. Objective: The study was aimed to see hematological abnormalities in chicken pox patients. Patients and methods: Sixty patients of both sexes, aged between 15-50 years were included in the study. Blood complete picture (CP) including platelet count was done in all cases on first presentation of the disease. A second blood CP was performed after two weeks duration. Blood hemoglobin (Hb), total leukocytes count (TLC) and platelets count (PC) were recorded and then compared with age and sex matched healthy individuals. Results: Patients with chicken pox were found to have normal Hb and TLC but relatively lower platelet count as base line finding. A slight change was seen after two weeks in Hb and TLC while a significant improvement was observed in platelets (p<.05). When compared with healthy individuals, it was only the platelet counts that were significantly different (p<.001). Conclusion: Anemia is not a feature of chicken pox but a relative leucopenia can be expected as in any other viral infection. It is thrombocytopenia that is found more significantly in chicken pox, probably caused by production of antiplatelet autoantibodies in these patients. Platelet specific autoantibodies are probably the cause of thrombocytopenia in patients of chicken pox and we should have a closer look on platelet count in such patients.

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