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Infectious Disease: Chickenpox

HCA/240

Varicella, known as chickenpox, is a common childhood disease. Children generally get chickenpox before the age of 12 ("Chickenpox (varicella)", 2005-2012).

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Chickenpox is highly contagious. A vaccine is available for children to protect against contracting chickenpox. The chickenpox vaccine, Varivax, is available for children. Varivax is a two-dose vaccine given to healthy children. Most states mandate children receive the vaccine before starting kindergarten. Children may still contract chickenpox even though they received the vaccine. Children whom contract chickenpox will become immune to the disease and cannot contract it a second time. The virus may remain in the body inactively. The virus may activate causing shingles. Varicella is highly contagious and is easily spread from one person to the next through direct contact, droplet transmission, and airborne transmission (Zelman, Tompary, Raymond, Holdaway, & Mulvihill, 2010, p. 48). Coughing and sneezing are examples of droplet and airborne transmission. Contact with the fluid from the chickenpox blisters is an example of direct contact. Chickenpoxs first symptoms are fever, sore throat, headache, abdominal pain, and discomfort a day or two before a rash appears. Following these symptoms, the child will then form a red, itchy skin rash throughout the body. The rash generally starts on the abdomen, back, and face and continues to affect other areas of the body, including the mouth, nose, ears, and genitals. The rash appearance will look like little pimples or insect bites. The small bumps then develop into fluid-filled blisters. The fluid is a clear fluid that will become cloudy. The blister will rupture and will leave an open sore. Once

the sore crusts over, a brown scab will appear. Excessive scratching may cause severe skin infections or scars. Calamine lotion may help relieve some of the itching. A person

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affected with the virus may spread it for up to 48 hours before the rash appears. The affected person will remain contagious until all the skin lesions crust over. The bodys natural response to varicella virus is fever, abdominal pain, sneezing, and coughing. The fever is to prevent the pathogen from growing. Motrin or Tylenol may help reduce fever. The abdominal pain may because of the digestive system creating more hydrochloric acid, naturally found in gastric acid. The digestive system creates hydrochloric acid to destroy the virus. Sneezing and coughing are the bodys natural defense to rid trapped particles. Varicella is common in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, (n.d.) website, About 4 million people would get it each year. Also, 10,500 to 13,000 people were hospitalized and 100 to 150 people died because of chickenpox each year . Some people may never contract the virus, and some may contract the virus only once. There is no evidence as to why an individuals body reacts in this manner. A person can help with controlling the spread of the virus by covering his or her mouth while coughing or sneezing. Washing hands is another way to contribute to controlling the spread of the virus. Sanitizing hands or frequently touched surfaces will also reduce the spread of the virus. The consequences of not controlling the spread of varicella may lead to death in an unhealthy person, or may lead to shingles. Shingles is

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the chickenpox virus activating again. A person who has had the disease or never received the vaccine may be vulnerable to shingles, than a person who has received the vaccine and experienced varicella. Receiving the varicella vaccine will help control the virus from either occurring or spreading. People with weakened immune systems (HIV/AIDS, cancer, or receiving radiation treatment) cannot receive the varicella vaccine. Receiving the varicella vaccine with a weakened immune system may contribute to the person contracting the virus; the immune system may not be able to fight against the virus, and the person may die. If a person believes he or she develops the symptoms of the virus and makes an appointment to inform a physician to confirm it, the person should schedule an appointment when the waiting room is unoccupied. The person should also restrain from visitation with other people. Two doses of the vaccine are recommended. The first dose should be between 12 and 15 months. The second dose should occur between four and six years. If a person has never had chickenpox or received the vaccine, the person should receive the two doses 28 days apart. Even though a person receives the vaccine, he or she may still contract the disease. Chickenpox is generally very mild in a vaccinated person. A vaccinated person will have fewer blisters, less likely to have a fever, and recovery time is faster. Everyone should contribute to control the spread of the varicella virus. Sanitizing surfaces and hands will help tremendously for controlling the spread. Teaching children

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at a young age about covering their mouths and noses while sneezing or coughing will also help. Educating a person at every age about the vaccine will be helpful. Mandating the vaccine for every child in every state should be a priority. The varicella virus can be controlled and maybe even prevented if people take extra precautions to regulate the virus.

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References Chickenpox Can Be Serious: Protect Your Child. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/Features/PreventChickenpox/ Chickenpox (Varicella). (2005-2012). Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/vaccines/tc/chickenpox-varicella-topic-overview Zelman, M., Tompary, E., Raymond, J., Holdaway, P., & Mulvihill, M.L., (2010). Human Diseases A Systemic Approach (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education.