Why is chickenpox called 'chicken' pox? (Query)

Chicken pox -- is it named so because you can get it from chicken? Read to know the answer.

My 8-year old daughter asked me why is chickenpox called so. Her questions were something like this -- Does it mean chicken with pox? or is it because you interact it from chickens? Can I get chicken pox if I eat chicken? If my friend gets it then can I also get infected? I didn't know what to answer. Please help.

No, chicken pox doesn't mean chicken with pox. It is a viral disease that is caused by the varicella virus. And as far as the name is concerned, it is one question that most doctors don t know the answer for. There are numerous theories on why chicken pox is called so. Some of the relevant ones are

• One theory states that the boils on the skin of a person suffering from chicken pox resemble the peck marks caused by a chicken.^{1}
• The red blisters that appear on the skin were thought to look like chickpeas (chavli in hindi) and hence, the name chicken pox, says another theory.^{2}
• Another theory suggests that chickens were usually associated with weakness and thus, the name chicken pox. ^{1}
• An old English word giccan which means to itch was corrupted into chicken. Also, pox was spelled as pocks (plural form of pock -- an old English word) ^{3}

You can choose anyone of these theories to answer your kid, although most people agree with the one that states the marks on the skin resembling pecks of a chicken. And if you have been wondering if chickens spread the infection, then you are wrong. Also, chicken pox cannot be caused by eating chicken.

There is a high chance that your kid might get the virus if her close friend (or any person she spends time with) is infected, as the virus spreads through air, and it takes around 14 24 days to manifest the symptoms of the infection. So it is better to get your daughter vaccinated as a preventive measure against chickenpox. Also read about 10 vaccines recommended for every child.

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References:

1. Lerman, S. J. (1981). Why is chickenpox called chickenpox?. Clinical pediatrics, 20(2), 111-112.
2. Takahashi, M. (1983). Chickenpox virus. Adv Virus Res, 28, 285-356.
3. Rockley, P. F., & Tyring, S. K. (1994). Pathophysiology and clinical manifestations of varicella zoster virus infections. International journal of dermatology, 33(4), 227-232.