The Varicella Zoster virus is the primary cause of Chicken pox. However, subsequent bacterial infections of the skin sores might create many difficulties later on (caused by Streptococcus or Staphylococcus species). Children under the age of one year may develop pneumonia as a result of a subsequent bacterial infection.
Chicken pox is caused by a primary infection with the Varicella Zoster virus, according to studies. However, the Varicella virus can occasionally remain latent in the sensory neuron ganglia after the first infection. Shingles is caused by the reactivation of the latent Varicella virus at a later stage (Herpes Zoster).