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MODEL RELEASED. Chickenpox in mouth. Close-up of the mouth of a 22-year-old man showing chickenpox blisters (upper centre). Chickenpox, or varicella, is caused by infection with the herpesvirus varicella-zoster. It is common in children but, because infection confers life-long immunity to the disease, rare in adults. Symptoms include a mild fever followed by the development of itchy pimples on the body surfaces. These pimples later develop into blisters (as seen here), then scabs. Treatment includes bed rest and the application of soothing calamine lotion to external blisters. (KEYSTONE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/DR P. MARAZZI)