Is Chicken Pox And Strep Sore Throat Interrelated?

Posted on Sun, 2 Feb 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sun, 2 Feb 2014 Answered on

Fri, 28 Feb 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : MY 3 older children, ages 12, 11, 8 have each received 1 chicken pox - varicella vaccine as a toddler, and never the 2nd booster. MY 2 little children ages 5 and almost 2 were never vaccinated at all and are currently on day 5 of the chicken pox. My problem is that the 2 of the first 3 children have strep and the 3rd of the first 3 - i wasnt sure about but asked my dr to give antibiotics for him anyway since i thought he may have an empitigo in his nose. My question is: My big 3 were exposed to the chicken pox within the last week, 2 of have strep now while the 3rd is questionable, all 3 are on antibiotics, and my dr is pushing me to give the second varicella vaccine NOW to these 3. I didn't know until now that strep and chicken pox combo can kill. I don't know what to do. Give them the 2nd booster vaccine now or not??? (I truthfully was hoping they would get a mild chicken pox since they only got 1 vaccine and were exposed last week and then they would be immunized for life.) Now I don't know what to do. Thank you!

Answered by Dr. Chobufo Ditah (1 hour later)

Brief Answer: Chicken pox and strep and not related, coincidence Detailed Answer: Hi and thank you so much for this query. I am so sorry to hear about this chicken pox and the strep sore throat your children are battling with. Chicken pox and strep sore throat have no common cause. It is simply a coincidence and nothing else. Please, it is no XXXXXXX combo that would cause some fatal outcome. Just treat the individual diseases. I understand how challenging it can be to have the entire family sick. I will recommend you do not hurry to administer any chicken pox vaccine now. These children have already been exposed and vaccination would not be of any immediate great help. If they should develop the disease, treat and let it be. If they do not get sick, plan later in future to administer the second dose. There is no emergency right now. I hope this helps. I wish you well. feel free to ask for clarifications or more information if need be. Thanks. Dr. Ditah, MD.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Chobufo Ditah (2 days later)

Thank you. If my 3 older children do develop the chicken pox, it will probably arrive right after they are finished taking their antibiotics for the current strep, or they will possibly be at the tail end of taking the antibiotics. Even after taking antibiotics, sometimes there is a remaining strep in the body. So I am concerned that if they develop chicken pox and there is a remaining strep in the body, the strep culture may not show it right away, and I won't know whether they are truly rid of the strep or not. And if they are not truly rid of it, that can be XXXXXXX since then the strep can enter through a pox on the body or inside the mouth and attack organs and soft tissue. Can you tell me please what symptoms to look out for in such a case? and what to be aware of?

Answered by Dr. Chobufo Ditah (9 hours later)

Brief Answer: Please, you need not worry about this! Detailed Answer: Hi and thank you so much for following up with me. I do not know where this idea of pox and strep combination is coming from. Strep would not affect a pox and vice versa. The two occurring at the same time is purely coincidental and does not imply an association. If your children have not developed pox, they would most likely not. There is no specific symptom to look for. if they get sick, they shall be treated accordingly. Strep is generally treated for a maximum of 10days depending on the drug used. Very little resistance exists to the penicillin and there is no reason to suggest that it may not work. I hope this helps relief your fears. I wish you well. Dr. Ditah, MD.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar