Chickenpox is a common illness among kids, particularly those under age 12. An itchy rash of spots that look like blisters can appear all over the body and may be accompanied by flu-like symptoms. Symptoms usually go away without treatment, but because the infection is very contagious, an infected child should stay home and rest until the symptoms are gone.
Chickenpox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). Kids can be protected from VZV by getting the chickenpox (varicella) vaccine, usually between the ages of 12 to 15 months. In 2006, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended a booster shot at 4 to 6 years old for further protection. The CDC also recommends that people 13 years of age and older who have never had chickenpox or received chickenpox vaccine get two doses of the vaccine at least 28 days apart.
A person usually has only one episode of chickenpox, but VZV can lie dormant within the body and cause a different type of skin eruption later in life called shingles (or herpes zoster). Getting the chickenpox vaccine significantly lowers your child's chances of getting chickenpox, but he or she may still develop shingles later.
Symptoms of Chickenpox
Chickenpox causes a red, itchy rash on the skin that usually appears first on the abdomen or back and face, and then spreads to almost everywhere else on the body, including the scalp, mouth, nose, ears, and genitals.
The rash begins as multiple small, red bumps that look like pimples or insect bites. They develop into thin-walled blisters filled with clear fluid, which becomes cloudy. The blister wall breaks, leaving open sores, which finally crust over to become dry, brown scabs.
Chickenpox blisters are usually less than a quarter of an inch wide, have a reddish base, and appear in bouts over 2 to 4 days. The rash may be more extensive or severe in kids who have skin disorders such as eczema.
Some kids have a fever, abdominal pain, sore throat, headache, or a vague sick feeling a day or 2 before the rash appears. These symptoms may last for a few days, and fever stays in the range of 100°–102° Fahrenheit (37.7°–38.8° Celsius), though in rare cases may be higher. Younger kids often have milder symptoms and fewer blisters than older children or adults.
Typically, chickenpox is a mild illness, but can affect some infants, teens, adults, and people with weak immune systems more severely. Some people can develop serious bacterial infections involving the skin, lungs, bones, joints, and the brain (encephalitis). Even kids with normal immune systems can occasionally develop complications, most commonly a skin infection near the blisters.
Anyone who has had chickenpox (or the chickenpox vaccine) as a child is at risk for developing shingles later in life, and up to 20% do. After an infection, VZV can remain inactive in nerve cells near the spinal cord and reactivate later as shingles, which can cause tingling, itching, or pain followed by a rash with red bumps and blisters. Shingles is sometimes treated with antiviral drugs, steroids, and pain medications, and in May 2006 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a vaccine to prevent shingles in people 60 and older.
Contagiousness
Chickenpox is contagious from about 2 days before the rash appears and lasts until all the blisters are crusted over. A child with chickenpox should be kept out of school until all blisters have dried, usually about 1 week. If you're unsure about whether your child is ready to return to school, ask your doctor.
Chickenpox is very contagious — most kids with a sibling who's been infected will get it as well, showing symptoms about 2 weeks after the first child does. To help keep the virus from spreading, make sure your kids wash their hands frequently, particularly before eating and after using the bathroom. And keep a child with chickenpox away from unvaccinated siblings as much as possible.
People who haven't had chickenpox also can catch it from someone with shingles, but they cannot catch shingles itself. That's because shingles can only develop from a reactivation of VZV in someone who has previously had chickenpox.
Chickenpox and Pregnancy
Pregnant women and anyone with immune system problems should not be near a person with chickenpox. If a pregnant woman who hasn't had chickenpox in the past contracts it (especially in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy), the fetus is at risk for birth defects and she is at risk for more health complications than if she'd been infected when she wasn't pregnant. If she develops chickenpox just before or after the child is born, the newborn is at risk for serious health complications. There is no risk to the developing baby if the woman develops shingles during the pregnancy.
If a pregnant woman has had chickenpox before the pregnancy, the baby will be protected from infection for the first few months of life, since the mother's immunity gets passed on to the baby through the placenta and breast milk.
Those at risk for severe disease or serious complications — such as newborns whose mothers had chickenpox at the time of delivery, patients with leukemia or immune deficiencies, and kids receiving drugs that suppress the immune system — may be given varicella zoster immune globulin after exposure to chickenpox to reduce its severity.
Preventing Chickenpox
Doctors recommend that kids receive the chickenpox vaccine when they are 12 to 15 months old and a booster shot at 4 to 6 years old. The vaccine is about 70% to 85% effective at preventing mild infection, and more than 95% effective in preventing moderate to severe forms of the infection. Although the vaccine works pretty well, some kids who are immunized still will get chickenpox. Those who do, though, will have much milder symptoms than those who haven't had the vaccine and become infected.
Healthy children who have had chickenpox do not need the vaccine — they usually have lifelong protection against the illness.
Chickenpox medical Treatment
A virus causes chickenpox, so the doctor won't prescribe antibiotics. However, antibiotics may be required if the sores become infected by bacteria. This is pretty common among kids because they often scratch and pick at the blisters.
The antiviral medicine acyclovir may be prescribed for people with chickenpox who are at risk for complications. The drug, which can make the infection less severe, must be given within the first 24 hours after the rash appears. Acyclovir can have significant side effects, so it is only given when necessary. Your doctor can tell you if the medication is right for your child.
Dealing With the Discomfort of Chickenpox
You can help relieve the itchiness, fever, and discomfort of chickenpox by:
1 Using cool wet compresses or giving baths in cool or lukewarm water every 3 to 4 hours for the first few days. Oatmeal baths, available at the supermarket or pharmacy, can help to relieve itching. (Baths do not spread chickenpox.)
2 Patting (not rubbing) the body dry.
3 Putting calamine lotion on itchy areas (but don't use it on the face, especially near the eyes).
4 Giving your child foods that are cold, soft, and bland because chickenpox in the mouth may make drinking or eating difficult. Avoid feeding your child anything highly acidic or especially salty, like orange juice or pretzels.
5 Asking your doctor or pharmacist about pain-relieving creams to apply to sores in the genital area.
6 Giving your child acetaminophen regularly to help relieve pain if your child has mouth blisters.
7 Asking the doctor about using over-the-counter medication for itching.
Never use aspirin to reduce pain or fever in children with chickenpox because aspirin has been associated with the serious disease Reye syndrome, which can lead to liver failure and even death.
As much as possible, discourage kids from scratching. This can be difficult for them, so consider putting mittens or socks on your child's hands to prevent scratching during sleep. In addition, trim fingernails and keep them clean to help lessen the effects of scratching, including broken blisters and infection.
Most chickenpox infections require no special medical treatment. But sometimes, there are problems. Call the doctor if your child:
1 has fever that lasts for more than 4 days or rises above 102° Fahrenheit (38.8° Celsius)
2 has a severe cough or trouble breathing
3 has an area of rash that leaks pus (thick, discolored fluid) or becomes red, warm, swollen, or sore
4 has a severe headache
5 is unusually drowsy or has trouble waking up
6 has trouble looking at bright lights
7 has difficulty walking
8 seems confused
9 seems very ill or is vomiting
10 has a stiff neck
Call your doctor and treatment if you think your child has chickenpox, if you have a question, or if you're concerned about a possible complication. The doctor can guide you in watching for complications and in choosing medication to relieve itching. When taking your child to the doctor, let the office know in advance that your child might have chickenpox. It's important to ensure that other kids in the office are not exposed — for some of them, a chickenpox infection could cause severe complications.
chickenpox patient body
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Chickenpox in pregnancy
What could chickenpox mean for my baby ?
If you have already had chickenpox, your baby will have the benefit of your immunity during the pregnancy and for the first seven days after it is born. You have nothing to worry about.
If you get chickenpox in the first three months of your pregnancy this does not seem to increase the risk of a miscarriage.
Only a very small number of pregnant women (about three in every thousand) catch chickenpox in the UK. An even smaller number of babies are affected in the womb.
The risks to an unborn baby depend on when its mother catches chickenpox.
If she catches it:
1… up to the 20th week of pregnancy – the baby may be infected. In just 1 to 2 of every 100 cases the baby gets shingles later in the pregnancy; this can cause damage to the eyes, legs, arms, brain, bladder or bowel. If a baby is infected, an ultrasound scan may show up some of the problems if it is done at 16-20 weeks or five weeks after the mother has caught the virus. The baby’s eyes should usually be tested shortly after it is born
2… between the 20th and 36th week – the baby will have no problems in the womb. The virus will stay in its body, however, and may show up as shingles in the first few years of its life. It will be no worse than for any other child.
3… after the 36th week and between one and four weeks before birth – the baby may get chickenpox in the womb.
4… and the baby is born within seven days of the mother’s rash appearing – the baby may get severe chickenpox; some babies may die as a result.
The birth may be more risky for a mother and her baby if she develops the rash of chickenpox within seven days of the birth.If you get shingles while you are pregnant it is usually mild and there is no risk for you or your baby.
How can my baby be treated?
Two anti-viral drugs are available to treat chickenpox.
- Varicella-zoster immune globulin (VZIG) strengthens the immune system for a short time. It is made from human blood, given by donors. It does not necessarily prevent chickenpox developing but it may make the attack less serious. It is used before any symptoms appear; it does not work afterwards.
- Aciclovir may reduce fever and symptoms if it is started within 24 hours of the rash developing. There is not enough evidence to show whether it can prevent serious complications for mother or baby.
If your baby is born with chickenpox it will usually be given aciclovir by injection; this should help to support the baby’s immune system and make the rash heal more quickly.
If your baby comes into contact with chickenpox within the first seven days after the birth it will be protected by any immunity you have. If you are not immune, or if you have given birth early, your baby will usually be given VZIG.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
10 Ways To Get A Good Night Sleep
*Do some light exercise.
* Try to avoid heavy meals before bedtime.
*Read a book of your choice.
*Don’t eat sugar or caffeine before you sleep.
*Consider aromatherapy.
*Shower before bed.
* Listen to soothing music.
*Use breathing exercises to relax you.
*Don’t face the clock while you try to sleep so it doesn’t distract you.
* Set up a routine. Go to bed at the same time every night.
* Try to avoid heavy meals before bedtime.
*Read a book of your choice.
*Don’t eat sugar or caffeine before you sleep.
*Consider aromatherapy.
*Shower before bed.
* Listen to soothing music.
*Use breathing exercises to relax you.
*Don’t face the clock while you try to sleep so it doesn’t distract you.
* Set up a routine. Go to bed at the same time every night.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Vaccination
Varicella virus Vaccination
This is recommended that all HCP be immune to varicella. Evidence of immunity
in HCP includes documentation of 2 doses of varicella vaccine given at
least 28 days apart, history of varicella or herpes zoster based on physician
diagnosis, laboratory evidence of immunity.
This is recommended that all HCP be immune to varicella. Evidence of immunity
in HCP includes documentation of 2 doses of varicella vaccine given at
least 28 days apart, history of varicella or herpes zoster based on physician
diagnosis, laboratory evidence of immunity.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Chickenpox is a very contagious disease primarily affecting children. It is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV).
Chickenpox is not simply a mild childhood illness, but, rather, a potentially serious infection. While its most common complications are bacterial skin infections, other complications include inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or pneumonia, although these are rare in otherwise healthy people. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year, in the U.S. alone, chickenpox complications result in the estimated hospitalization of 11,000 individuals—the majority of whom were otherwise healthy—and 105 deaths—the majority of whom are children.
symptoms:
The early signs of a shingles outbreak are so vague, they can easily be mistaken
for another illness. They include: burning or shooting pain, numbness, tingling or
itching in an isolated region on one side of the body or face. Mild flu-like symptoms, such as headache, fever, chills and nausea, may also be present. Lesions (the rash) appear on the skin from one to 14 days later, usually in a band on one side of the body, or clustered on one side of the face (where there previously was pain). In two to four days, these lesions become fluid-filled blisters. In two to four weeks, they slowly crust, scab and heal. Once the blisters heal, one may continue to have pain for a month or longer. The skin may also become discolored where the rash once was.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year in the U.S., chickenpox results in: the hospitalization of nearly 11,000 individuals, the majority of whom are otherwise healthy, and two-thirds of whom are children; and 105 deaths.
In otherwise healthy individuals, shingles may disappear without major consequence in two to four weeks. But the risk of complications from shingles increases with age, weakened immunity (the body's ability to ward off disease) and delay or lack of treatment. Complications include post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), which can cause debilitating pain that persists for months or even years after the shingles rash has healed. The pain of PHN may be sharp, piercing, throbbing or stabbing, and it may extend beyond the area of the original shingles eruption. The skin may be unusually sensitive to even the lightest touch (as from clothing), to the smallest breeze, and to changes in temperature (either hot or cold).
In addition to PHN, complications affecting vision and/or hearing are possible if shingles appears on the face. For instance, if shingles affects the eye (ophthalmic shingles), the cornea can become infected, resulting in temporary or permanent blindness. In patients with severely weakened immunity, the shingles virus can also spread to internal organs, affecting the lungs, central nervous system and brain.
The VZV Research Foundation estimates that nearly one million individuals are afflicted by shingles each year in the U.S. alone. It is most common among people over the age of 50, as well as among those who have conditions or are undergoing medical treatments that weaken their immune systems. These include: HIV infection; chemotherapy or radiation therapy; corticosteroids; transplant operations; and possibly stress.
Currently, shingles cannot be prevented. However, a major study is underway to determine whether vaccination can decrease the incidence and/or severity of shingles and its complications in adults 60 years of age and older who have had natural chickenpox.
Antiviral drugs can lessen the duration of shingles and lower the risk for PHN if taken within 72 hours after the appearance of the rash. PHN is treated by a variety of pain-relieving approaches: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, narcotic analgesics and specific medications for nerve injury-related pain, including certain medications best known for treating depression. In 1999, the FDA approved a lidocaine skin patch for PHN pain.
The effectiveness of treatment for PHN varies widely among patients. If you develop PHN, you may wish to consult a physician who specializes in the treatment of pain; one option is the attending neurologist or anesthesiologist of a leading hospital in your area.
A live attenuated VZV Oka/Merck strain vaccine is available and is marketed in the United States under the trade name Varivax. It was developed by Merck, Sharp & Dohme in the 1980s from the Oka strain virus isolated and attenuated by Michiaki Takahashi and colleagues in the 1970s. It was submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval in 1990 and was approved in 1995. Since then, it has been added to the recommended vaccination schedules for children in Australia, the United States, and many other countries. Varicella vaccination has raised concerns in some that the immunity induced by the vaccine may not be lifelong, possibly leaving adults vulnerable to more severe disease as the immunity from their childhood immunization wanes. Vaccine coverage in the United States in the population recommended for vaccination is approaching 90%, with concomitant reductions in the incidence of varicella cases, and hospitalizations and deaths due to VZV. So far, clinical data has proved that the vaccine is effective for over 10 years in preventing varicella infection in healthy individuals and when breakthrough infections do occur, illness is typically mild. In 2007, the ACIP recommended a second dose of vaccine before school entry to ensure the maintenance of high levels of varicella immunity.
Chickenpox is not simply a mild childhood illness, but, rather, a potentially serious infection. While its most common complications are bacterial skin infections, other complications include inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or pneumonia, although these are rare in otherwise healthy people. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year, in the U.S. alone, chickenpox complications result in the estimated hospitalization of 11,000 individuals—the majority of whom were otherwise healthy—and 105 deaths—the majority of whom are children.
symptoms:
The early signs of a shingles outbreak are so vague, they can easily be mistaken
for another illness. They include: burning or shooting pain, numbness, tingling or
itching in an isolated region on one side of the body or face. Mild flu-like symptoms, such as headache, fever, chills and nausea, may also be present. Lesions (the rash) appear on the skin from one to 14 days later, usually in a band on one side of the body, or clustered on one side of the face (where there previously was pain). In two to four days, these lesions become fluid-filled blisters. In two to four weeks, they slowly crust, scab and heal. Once the blisters heal, one may continue to have pain for a month or longer. The skin may also become discolored where the rash once was.
chickenpox patients:
The varicella-zoster virus (VZV) first strikes as chickenpox or varicella, a highly contagious disease affecting 95 percent of Americans by age 18, or four million individuals annually. Although it is commonly regarded as a mild childhood illness, chickenpox is a significant disease. It usually causes fever, discomfort, loss of appetite, headache and skin lesions, which can leave scars. But it can also lead to hospitalization and, in rare instances, death.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year in the U.S., chickenpox results in: the hospitalization of nearly 11,000 individuals, the majority of whom are otherwise healthy, and two-thirds of whom are children; and 105 deaths.
Chickenpox is now preventable. In March 1995, following more than a decade of development and testing, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the country's first chickenpox vaccine for use in children and adults who have not had chickenpox. The FDA concluded that the vaccine is safe and effective.
In otherwise healthy individuals, shingles may disappear without major consequence in two to four weeks. But the risk of complications from shingles increases with age, weakened immunity (the body's ability to ward off disease) and delay or lack of treatment. Complications include post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), which can cause debilitating pain that persists for months or even years after the shingles rash has healed. The pain of PHN may be sharp, piercing, throbbing or stabbing, and it may extend beyond the area of the original shingles eruption. The skin may be unusually sensitive to even the lightest touch (as from clothing), to the smallest breeze, and to changes in temperature (either hot or cold).
In addition to PHN, complications affecting vision and/or hearing are possible if shingles appears on the face. For instance, if shingles affects the eye (ophthalmic shingles), the cornea can become infected, resulting in temporary or permanent blindness. In patients with severely weakened immunity, the shingles virus can also spread to internal organs, affecting the lungs, central nervous system and brain.
The VZV Research Foundation estimates that nearly one million individuals are afflicted by shingles each year in the U.S. alone. It is most common among people over the age of 50, as well as among those who have conditions or are undergoing medical treatments that weaken their immune systems. These include: HIV infection; chemotherapy or radiation therapy; corticosteroids; transplant operations; and possibly stress.
Currently, shingles cannot be prevented. However, a major study is underway to determine whether vaccination can decrease the incidence and/or severity of shingles and its complications in adults 60 years of age and older who have had natural chickenpox.
Antiviral drugs can lessen the duration of shingles and lower the risk for PHN if taken within 72 hours after the appearance of the rash. PHN is treated by a variety of pain-relieving approaches: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, narcotic analgesics and specific medications for nerve injury-related pain, including certain medications best known for treating depression. In 1999, the FDA approved a lidocaine skin patch for PHN pain.
The effectiveness of treatment for PHN varies widely among patients. If you develop PHN, you may wish to consult a physician who specializes in the treatment of pain; one option is the attending neurologist or anesthesiologist of a leading hospital in your area.
Vaccine
A live attenuated VZV Oka/Merck strain vaccine is available and is marketed in the United States under the trade name Varivax. It was developed by Merck, Sharp & Dohme in the 1980s from the Oka strain virus isolated and attenuated by Michiaki Takahashi and colleagues in the 1970s. It was submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval in 1990 and was approved in 1995. Since then, it has been added to the recommended vaccination schedules for children in Australia, the United States, and many other countries. Varicella vaccination has raised concerns in some that the immunity induced by the vaccine may not be lifelong, possibly leaving adults vulnerable to more severe disease as the immunity from their childhood immunization wanes. Vaccine coverage in the United States in the population recommended for vaccination is approaching 90%, with concomitant reductions in the incidence of varicella cases, and hospitalizations and deaths due to VZV. So far, clinical data has proved that the vaccine is effective for over 10 years in preventing varicella infection in healthy individuals and when breakthrough infections do occur, illness is typically mild. In 2007, the ACIP recommended a second dose of vaccine before school entry to ensure the maintenance of high levels of varicella immunity.
In 2006, the FDA approved Zostavax for the prevention of shingles. Zostavax is a more concentrated formulation of the Varivax vaccine, designed to elicit an immune response in older adults whose immunity to VZV wanes with advancing age.
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