NR503: Week 5 Infectious Disease Paper

Chickenpox, also known as varicella, is a highly contagious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). It is a self-limiting disease that presents during childhood, but can cause severe illness and complicatio ...

Chickenpox, also known as varicella, is a highly contagious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). It is a self-limiting disease that presents during childhood, but can cause severe illness and complications in adolescents and adults. When an individual is infected by the varicella-zoster virus, blister-like rashes can easily develop on the face and stomach, and then spread throughout the entire body. The virus remains dormant in the nerve cells, and may reactivate in later adult years in the form of herpes zoster, or shingles. The infection develops from either direct skin contact or respiratory airborne droplets from an exposed individual. Other symptoms of chickenpox include fever, malaise, headache, and loss of appetite. High risk people, such as infants, elderly, and those with weakened immune systems, may have serious complications from chickenpox. These include bacterial skin infections, pneumonia, sepsis, and encephalitis. The varicella vaccine is the safest and most effective way to prevent chickenpox. Treatments such as calamine lotion, acetaminophen, and antiviral medications, can help relieve symptoms of chickenpox. According to the CDC (2014), chickenpox accounts for more than 9000 hospitalizations in the United States and 95% of Americans had chickenpox before age 18. The highest prevalence of chickenpox is in the 4 to 10-year-old age group, with most cases occurring during the winter and spring. With the vaccine introduced in 1995, the incidence of varicella has dramatically declined by 90% with 99% reduction in the mortality rate in 2008-2011 compared with pre-vaccine years (Leung, Bialek, & Marin, 2015). Determinants of Health There are a few determinants of health that contribute to the development of chickenpox, including social, biology and genetics, and health se