Epidemiology: Chickenpox
The Varicella-Zoster virus causes a very infectious disease called Chickenpox. Chickenpox is usually acquired through the inhalation of airborne respiratory droplets from an infected host. Chickenpox is primarily acquired during childhood , with more than 90% of all reported cases occurring in children under the age of 10. A person with chickenpox can spread the virus without even showing any signs or symptoms. It is usually most easily transmitted two to three days before a rash appears and keeps that high transmission rate until the blisters have crusted over.
The following paper provides a detailed description of Chickenpox and the determinants of health contributing to the development of the disease. The
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Before vaccines were introduced, varicella was endemic in the United States, and virtually all persons acquired varicella at some point before adulthood (cdc.gov, 2006). It is reported that 4 million cases of chickenpox were recorded in the U.S. each year before the vaccine was introduced. Although some states reported cases of varicella to the CDC, it was eliminated from the list of nationally notifiable conditions in 1981. Children under 10 years of age make up between 75 – 90 % of chickenpox cases. In 1995, due to the availability of the vaccine in the U.S., hospitalizations due to chickenpox has declined by nearly 90% (Hambleton, & Gershon, 2005).
Determinants of Health
Varicella peaks in the months of March through May and throughout the regions with mild temperature. Varicella and herpes zoster occur worldwide and are not restricted to any one geographic location. According to the CDC, the varicella infection is more prevalent among adults than children in tropical areas. It is unknown what the reasons are for the difference of age distribution, possibility is that in rural population varicella infection is not common (cdc.gov, 2006). January was regularly the season and its peak for the varicella infection before the nationwide vaccination was implemented. It was a after the nationwide immunizations in 2004, case numbers of
Another interesting fact that I came across within the article, was that a host with shingles is able to provide direct transmission of the chickenpox’s with the help of an open rash or sore. Naturally you would expect the person to automatically
The incubation period for chicken pox is 2-3 weeks (Bishop,P et al. 2010), this is the contagious time before the signs and symptoms start showing, which means the nurse’s daughter, was past the infectious period of the disease. The nurse’s daughter could have had the virus for over a week, and exposed her mother to it during this time. If the nurse developed symptoms a few days after getting Varicella Zoster Immunoglobin, she had already contracted the virus before immuniglobin injection had been administered, thus not able to prevent chickenpox in this case.
Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) causes the infection of chickenpox, but you are more likely to get infected by touching someone that already has the disease. The disease can spread by: saliva, coughing, sneezing, and contact with the fluid from the blisters.
Shingles is a painful disease that is caused by the same virus that causes the chicken pox. The shingles virus affects about 1 million people per year in the United States alone. Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, occurs in people who have already had chickenpox when they were younger. Shingles causes a painful skin rash that usually appears in a band, strip or a small area on one side of the face or body. Most individuals who develop shingles are older than 50 years or have other medical problems like cancer because procedures like chemotherapy weaken your immune system. People who are immune-suppressed from medications they take, like steroid medications are also vulnerable because their immune system is weak, letting the shingles
Chicken poxChickenpox is a mild and common childhood illness that most children catch at some point.
Once you have the chicken pox, the virus travels from your skin, to the cranial nerves, and then to your dorsal root ganglion cells. After that, the virus remains dormant. The virus waits until the setting is ideal in your
Shingles are more likely to show up in adults who have had the chickenpox in their childhood. The shingles are caused by a viral infection known as the varicella-zoster virus. This virus is part of a group of viruses called herpes viruses (herpes zoster). Although shingles is part of this group, it is not the same in that it is not a virus that is responsible for sexually transmitted diseases. Shingles can be very painful and cause many types of infections, but it is not life-threatening and it is treatable.
The infectious outbreak I chose to research is the varicella-zoster virus, which causes varicella better known as chickenpox. The number of chickenpox cases can be decreased or can be decreased in severity by having two doses of the zoster vaccine. “Before the vaccine, about 4 million people would get chickenpox each year in the United States. Also, about 10,600 people were hospitalized and 100 to 150 died each year as a result of chickenpox.” ("Chickenpox (Varicella)")
Chicken pox, also called varicella, is a contagious illness that causes red spots that itch and some blister all over the body. We are going to take a closer look into how this is passed, the signs and symptoms, and who it effects the most. Most children receive the vaccination for Chicken pox at an early age. Adults can receive the vaccination as well, and the chicken pox vaccination requires to separate doses of the vaccine. Chicken pox is highly contagious to people who have yet to be exposed to the virus.
Mandatory vaccination continues to be a contentious subject in the United States, even though extensive evidence proves inoculation prevents certain diseases. According to A. Plotkin & L. Plotkin (2011), the evolution of the first vaccine commenced in the 1700’s when a physician named Edwards Jenner discovered that cowpox protected individuals from one of the deadliest diseases termed smallpox. The precise virus Jenner used is unclear; however, it was espoused in the extermination of smallpox worldwide. The researchers further explained, the unearthing of the subsequent vaccine known as chicken cholera occurred approximately 80 years later by Louise Pasteur. Ever since, copious vaccines such as rabies, yellow fever, varicella, pneumococcal, mumps and recently HPV have been introduced.
The Varicella Virus is a common illness among children under the age of twelve, is a contagious virus. That gives the patient flu-like symptoms that start with a fever, sore throat, absence of appetite, headache, and body covered with an itchy red blister. The virus can spread airborne anyone infected with the virus through the respiratory tract from sneezing or coughing. Sometimes people can get the chickenpox through direct contact those infected with it through mucus, saliva, or fluid from blisters. As a child I recall dealing with chickenpox to the point that my whole body felt like I rolled all over in poison ivy that drove me nut but didn’t fully understood what was happen to my body. Therefore didn’t understand how serious this virus
Chickenpox’s history has various contributors. Several corpses have been found with chickenpox as the apparent cause of death. In the 1500s, an Italian physician Giovanni Filippo gave the first description of varicella in literature and clearly distinguished it from scarlet fever; he is also known for other several important contributions to medicine, anatomy, and virology. In the late 1600s, English physician Richard Morton gave the name chickenpox to what he thought was a milder form of smallpox. Another English physician, William Heberden, undertook the first independent study of the disease in 1767, and he proved that chickenpox was actually different from smallpox. Since then much more information has been learned about chickenpox.
According to public health officials in order to avoid serious outbreaks, the vaccination rate in the United States needs to rise higher then 95%. As a healthcare provider to see the vaccination rate increase by 2% by the year 2017 is possible. Over the years vaccinations have been know to prevent
The person should avoid scratching or rubbing the itchy areas and keep their fingernails short to avoid damaging the skin. The infected person should avoid prolonged exposure to excessive heat and humidity. The use of over- the counter antihistamines or hydrocortisone creams may be recommended for itch relief. Some doctors may prescribe antivirals if the rash began within 24 hours. Antiviral medication is not usually prescribed to otherwise healthy children who do not have severe symptoms. Antivirals are usually prescribed to high-risk groups whom are prone to severe symptoms such as eczema, lung conditions, or who immunocompromised individuals. The infected person should also be advised to avoid aspirin due to association with a serious condition called Reyes syndrome or Ibuprofen due to the association of more severe secondary infections. Tylenol is recommended for fever relief. Some complications that can occur are bacterial infections secondary to scratching, encephalitis, pneumonia and death. The preventions of chickenpox are acquired by vaccination with the varicella vaccine in children, adolescents, and adults, and the herpes zoster vaccine for persons of 60 and older (Maurer&Smith). The Centers for Disease and controls estimates that 95% of Americans will have chickenpox by the time they reach adulthood. The CDC also estimates that there are 4 million cases with a100 deaths and 9300 hospitalizations a
This paper will give an overview of the varicella-zoster virus. This paper will also discuss the detriments of health from the chickenpox virus. The epidemiologic triangle will be outlined as it depicts the chickenpox virus. The aspect of the community health nurse will be discussed and information on a national organization for infectious diseases will be provided.