Awareness is the key to stop the spread of chicken pox. Chicken pox cases have been recorded with self aware communities, but they have been noted to be more severe in the areas where people are less aware of the disease. Due to the lack of awareness, proper vaccination, prevention and treatment cannot be done, which leads to spread of chicken pox.

Environment also plays a very important role in the occurrence of the disease. It has been found that the virus survives better in temperate climates than in cold, hot or tropical climates. Due to the favorable climate, this virus manages to exist and transmits from one body to another, bringing chicken pox. Also, it has been found that people living in areas having record of high number of chicken pox cases are more severely affected by the disease than those living in healthier areas.

Sometimes, due to improper medication, the immunity system of the body is severely affected. As there is no immunity available to counteract the virus, the body becomes more vulnerable to the virus, which attacks the body and causes chicken pox.

Varicella virus is one of the few microbes that cannot be eradicated easily. Once it enters the body, it starts to reproduce, finds places to secure itself and attacks organ systems. Sometimes, this virus may not attack immediately. But as time elapses, these viruses release themselves from the nervous system to attack again, leading to reoccurrence of chicken pox, complications and shingles.

If a pregnant woman is not immune to the virus, the virus can reach her fetus, infecting it with the disease. The disease in such a case is more severe, as the unborn child is still in the initial stages of immunity development. The problems that arise due to infection in pregnancy include brain damage (such as encephalitis and microcephaly), eye damage (such as cataracts), body damage (such as hypoplasia) and skin disorders (such as hypopigmentation).

Due to the available vaccines, people are inoculated against the virus and hence develop immunity. However, in some cases, the occurrence of a disease can break down the immunity system, which makes the body vulnerable to a virus attack. Also, people who are not vaccinated on time face higher chances of getting infected by the disease.

Chicken pox is a highly contagious airborne disease. It is caused by the virus that is transferred from the infected person to the healthier person through respiratory droplets, such as sneeze, cough and spit, clothes, utensils and anything used by an infected person.