Various Health Topics
ChickenPox/Shingles
Folliculitis
Hepatitis
Insomnia
Molluscum Contagiosum
Mononucleosis
Poison Ivy
Tuberculosis
Chicken Pox
What is chicken pox?
Chicken pox is a common disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which is a member of the herpes virus family. It is very contagious and usually occurs during childhood. Adults can get the disease if they did not have chicken pox in childhood and have not been vaccinated against chicken pox. It can vary from a mild illness to a very serious illness especially in young children.
What are the symptoms?
Chicken pox most often begins with a slight fever, body aches, and loss of appetite. Within 1-2 days, a rash appears, usually starting on the chest or back. The rash begins as red spots, then rapidly forms 250 to 500 blisters and spreads to the rest of the body. The rash can also occur on the scalp and mucous membranes. The blisters open and form a crust or scab within a few days. These areas may result in permanent scars. The rash can continue to break out for 4-5 days as older lesions crust and heal. Itching can accompany the rash, along with fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, and general body aches. It is very unusual to have chicken pox more than once.
Is chicken pox contagious?
Yes. The primary way the virus is spread to large numbers of people is through inhaling airborne droplets from the coughing and sneezing of individuals with chicken pox. Chicken pox is also transmitted by direct contact with the fluid in the blisters. The incubation period is 10-21 days. A person is contagious from 1-2 days before the rash appears and until all the lesions form crusts.
What is the treatment for chicken pox?
Treatment is focused on relief of symptoms. If the person with chicken pox is seen early enough in the illness, antiviral drugs may be used, for high risk groups, along with symptomatic care. Symptomatic care can include: antihistamines or baths with colloidal oatmeal to help relieve itching, and Tylenol or ibuprofen for fever or pain relief. Aspirin should be avoided.
Can chicken pox be prevented? Is there a vaccination for chicken pox?
Yes. The varicella vaccine is recommended for all children, adolescents and adults who have not had chicken pox.
All children to 12 years old who have not had chicken pox should receive one injection of varicella vaccine.
Teenagers and adults (age 13 and older) who have not had chicken pox or been immunized should receive 2 injections of the vaccine 4-8 weeks apart.
Some people need to be evaluated before receiving the vaccine, including individuals with impaired immune systems, or who have cancer or are receiving cancer treatments, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, people allergic to neomycin, and ill children.
It is not known how long immunity lasts. A blood test (Varicella-Zoster IGG) can be done to determine if immunity to chicken pox is already present before vaccinating with varicella. However, it is safe to take the vaccine without checking immunity.
What are the side effects of the chicken pox vaccination?
Most people have no side effects. If side effects occur, they can include:
Mild rash at injection site within one month of vaccination (people who develop the rash may be contagious).
Pain, redness and swelling at injection site.
Fever over 100°.
Runny nose, sore throat, headache and tiredness.
Aspirin should NOT be taken for six weeks after the vaccination due to association with Reyes Syndrome. Check with your medical provider for more information about the varicella vaccine.
SHINGLES
What is shingles?
Shingles is a painful skin eruption caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chicken pox. The virus remains dormant in a nerve root near the spinal cord after chicken pox. Fatigue, emotional upsets, immune suppressive drugs (such as corticosteroids), illness, radiation therapy, or unknown factors cause the virus to reactivate. When it reactivates, it travels down the nerve to the skin. Anyone can get shingles if they have had chicken pox, but it is more likely to occur in people over age 50.
Is shingles contagious?
Yes, shingles is contagious to persons who have not had chicken pox. Fluid from the shingles blisters can transmit the virus and cause chicken pox in a person who has not had the chicken pox. You cannot catch shingles, itself, from someone else.
Will the chicken pox vaccine prevent shingles?
Shingles is less common in vaccinated healthy persons compared with persons who have had natural chicken pox.
What are the symptoms of shingles?
Pain usually begins along the nerve before the rash appears. Itching, burning, or weakness in the associated muscles may also be present. The rash usually develops within a few days after the pain begins. The rash appears as groups of small blisters on the skin along the nerve tract.
This often occurs on one side of the chest, back or face, but may appear on any part of the body. The fluid from blisters can transmit the varicella-zoster virus which causes chicken pox. It is less likely for a person to transmit the varicella-zoster virus (that causes chicken pox) from shingles as compared to the likelihood of transmission of the virus from a case of chicken pox. This is because the virus for shingles is passed by direct contact only not by airborne droplets from coughing and sneezing (as in chicken pox). The blisters crust and heal during the next two weeks. Pain may persist for weeks, months, or years after the rash heals.
What is the treatment for shingles?
Antiviral medications such as acyclovir can be used to reduce the pain and promote healing if started early in the course of the illness. Pain relief medication and soothing soaks and lotions may also be used. For more extensive cases and in elderly persons, cortisone can be used to decrease pain at the time of infection and after infection.
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