An infectious disease caused by varicella virus Chickenpox An infectious disease caused by varicella virus

The History of Chickenpox Chickenpox has been a common childhood illness for many generations. History shows that chickenpox may have been around since Babylonian times. The first time that chicken pox was identified was by a Persian scientist commonly known as Razi and later Giovanni Filippo provided additional chicken pox information. In the early days of chickenpox, the infection easily spread and there were many complications until medical advancements provided better treatment, infected people were isolated until vaccines became readily available.

The Discovery of Being Contagious Studies were done in 1875 by Rudolf Steiner, which proved that a chicken pox infection was contagious. The fluid from a chicken pox blister was rubbed on the skin of healthy volunteers and when the volunteers got chicken pox, the scientists knew it was contagious.

Symptoms of Chickenpox A fever is usually the first symptom of chicken pox. If it is not known if the person has been exposed to the varicella-zoster virus, then the person may not know that they are about to come down with chicken pox. Other symptoms include the following: 1.Headache (usually mild) 2.Abdominal pain 3.Loss of appetite 4.Dry cough 5.General discomfort 6.Irritability The most common symptom of chicken pox is a rash that develops into blisters.

Prognosis of Patient Chickenpox symptoms last for an average of 14 days. Infection occurs from direct contact with open blisters or from inhaling droplets from a person who is carrying the varicella-zoster virus, who sneezes or coughs. Infection occurs from direct contact with open blisters or from inhaling droplets from a person who is carrying the varicella-zoster virus, who sneezes or coughs. The symptoms are often mild and run their course with minimal treatment. It is a common childhood illness that occasionally has complications and requires medical intervention.

Treatment & Cure There is normally no need for special treatment for chickenpox. The symptoms can be treated with traditional or natural treatments. Traditional chicken pox treatment usually includes relieving the discomfort of the symptoms. Fever and discomfort - Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can be given to lower the fever and physical discomfort.

Itching - Calamine lotion or other anti-itch lotion can bring some relief to the itchy blisters and scabs. For blisters inside the mouth, bland food will prevent further irritation of the mouth. Fatigue - Bed rest and a quiet room or even laying around watching a movie will prevent exhaustion. Fatigue is usually caused by difficulty in sleeping in addition to the affects of a fighting off a virus.

Prevention of Chickenpox Chickenpox is highly contagious so it's important to try to avoid spreading it to others. Some of the things you can do are outlined below: Stay away from school or work If you or your child has chickenpox, stay away from nursery, school or work until all of the blisters have dried up and scabbed over. This usually happens five or six days after the rash first appears. You may continue to have spots on your skin for another week or two, but you're no longer contagious if the spots are dry and scabby.

Avoid contact with people at risk Certain people are at a higher risk of becoming seriously ill if they become infected with chickenpox. These include: pregnant women newborn babies people with a weakened immune system If possible, try to avoid contact with people from these groups until the blisters have scabbed over and you're no longer contagious.

Chickenpox vaccination There is a vaccination against chickenpox, but it's only given to people who are at a very high risk of spreading the infection to vulnerable people. These include healthcare workers and people living with someone who has a weakened immune system.

The Future of Chickenpox Varicella vaccine has been in the market since 1995 and new studies show that it has nearly wiped out deaths from chickenpox in the United States. However it is unlikely we will be truly free of chickenpox in the near future as only two diseases have been officially fully eradicated in the world.

Interesting Trivia about Chickenpox Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is an infection of a nerve and the skin around it found in adults. It's caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the virus that causes chickenpox. Some famous faces who have suffered from shingles include: Richard Nixon Robin Williams Amy Grant

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