Chickenpox Causes

The Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) causes chickenpox. The disease is highly contagious -- over 90% of nonimmune individuals will develop chickenpox following exposure. VZV is communicable by both direct skin-to-skin contact and via respiratory droplets (for example, coughing, sneezing) from the infected individual. While the average incubation period from viral exposure to onset of symptoms is 12-14 days, a broader post-exposure window of 10-21 days is quoted in the literature.