The Unbroken director appeared in a Universal Pictures YouTube video Friday wearing a white tank top noticeably speckled with a red skin rash to make the announcement–she has chickenpox. 

Angelina Jolie announces she has chickenpox/ Video Screen Shot
Angelina Jolie announces she has chickenpox/ Video Screen Shot

“I just wanted to be clear and honest about why I will be missing the Unbroken events in the next few days. I found out last night that I have chickenpox,” Angelina Jolie said in the video that has garnered nearly 600,000 views to date.

“So I will be home itching and missing everyone and I can’t believe it cause this all means so much to me, she continued. Such is life, there it is.”

Universal Pictures added, “We all wish Angelina a speedy recovery and look forward to her returning to her work very soon.  She is in very good spirits, considering after two years of hard work, she will not be there the night it finally premieres.”

Related:  Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt make Sydney headlines as they bring family for ‘Unbroken’ shoot

The film tells the story of former Olympian and World War II prisoner of war Louis Zamperini.

Chickenpox is a common, usually benign childhood disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), a member of the herpes family. This virus causes two distinct diseases; varicella (chickenpox) is the primary infection, and later when VSV reactivates,herpes zoster (shingles).

Chickenpox is highly contagious and is spread by coughing and sneezing, by direct contact and by aerosolization of the virus from skin lesions. You can also get it by contact with the vesicle secretions fromshingles.

The disease is characterized by fever and a red, itchy skin rash of that usually starts on the abdomen, back or face and then spreads to nearly all parts of the body. The rash begins as small red bumps that appear as pimples or insect bites. They then develop into thin-walled blisters that are filled with clear fluid which collapse on puncture. The blisters then breaks, crusts over, and leaves dry brown scabs.

Image/CDC
Image/CDC

The chickenpox lesions may be present in several stages of maturity and are more abundant on covered skin rather than exposed. Lesions may also be found in the mouth, upper respiratory tract and genitals.

Chickenpox is contagious from 1-2 days before the rash forms and continues until all the lesions are crustedover (usually about 5 days).

This disease is more serious in adults than in children. Complications of chickenpox are rare, but include pneumonia, encephalitis and secondary bacterial infections.

Infection with this virus usually gives lifelong immunity, although second attacks have been documented in immunocompromised people. The viral infection remains latent, and disease may recur years later asshingles.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the chickenpox vaccine is the best protection against chickenpox. The vaccine is made from weakened varicella virus that produces an immune response in your body that protects you against chickenpox. The chickenpox vaccine was licensed for use in the United States in 1995. For more infectious disease news and information, visit and “like” the Infectious Disease News Facebook page 

 

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