Communicable Diseases
Communicable Disease
HCS 457
Communicable Disease
Chickenpox is one of the many highly communicable diseases. This communicable disease is cause by a virus called varicella-zoster which has a resemblance with the herpes virus. It can be transmitted through close contact with the fluids from the blisters or through air wherein the virus is disseminated by coughing or sneezing. Chickenpox is regarded as highly communicable for individuals who are exposed to the disease for the first time has an 80% risk of acquiring the disease through close contact of an infected individual. As claimed by the Pub Med Health, “most children with chickenpox exhibit symptoms like fever, headache, stomach ache, loss of appetite, or presence of small, fluid-filled, itchy, red spots over the skin.” At the time when the chickenpox blisters has dried and formed scabs is the point where the individual isn’t contagious.
Each and every individual is at risk of being infected by chickenpox – no exception. It is known to have life threatening effects. As the Directors of Health Promotion and Education states, “in the United States, 4,000 to 9,000 individuals are hospitalized annually with chickenpox, with approximately a hundred casualties. Those at highest risk for complications are newborns, individuals with compromised immune system, and adults.” As chickenpox is caused by a virus, it has no cure and the virus would remain in our system for a lifetime even after we’ve done exhibiting the signs and symptoms of the illness. Furthermore, the virus can induce another kind of illness called shingles. As the varicella-zoster virus shifts into the skin nerve fibers, a painful rash pops out known as the shingles. There are several known complications of chickenpox and these are infections, encephalitis, and hepatitis. Pregnant women are known to be of the highest risk for the virus causes still births and infections during delivery. Environmental factors such as type of season, school
HCS 457
Communicable Disease
Chickenpox is one of the many highly communicable diseases. This communicable disease is cause by a virus called varicella-zoster which has a resemblance with the herpes virus. It can be transmitted through close contact with the fluids from the blisters or through air wherein the virus is disseminated by coughing or sneezing. Chickenpox is regarded as highly communicable for individuals who are exposed to the disease for the first time has an 80% risk of acquiring the disease through close contact of an infected individual. As claimed by the Pub Med Health, “most children with chickenpox exhibit symptoms like fever, headache, stomach ache, loss of appetite, or presence of small, fluid-filled, itchy, red spots over the skin.” At the time when the chickenpox blisters has dried and formed scabs is the point where the individual isn’t contagious.
Each and every individual is at risk of being infected by chickenpox – no exception. It is known to have life threatening effects. As the Directors of Health Promotion and Education states, “in the United States, 4,000 to 9,000 individuals are hospitalized annually with chickenpox, with approximately a hundred casualties. Those at highest risk for complications are newborns, individuals with compromised immune system, and adults.” As chickenpox is caused by a virus, it has no cure and the virus would remain in our system for a lifetime even after we’ve done exhibiting the signs and symptoms of the illness. Furthermore, the virus can induce another kind of illness called shingles. As the varicella-zoster virus shifts into the skin nerve fibers, a painful rash pops out known as the shingles. There are several known complications of chickenpox and these are infections, encephalitis, and hepatitis. Pregnant women are known to be of the highest risk for the virus causes still births and infections during delivery. Environmental factors such as type of season, school
References: Alberta Health and Wellness. (2005). Varicella Zoster. Public Health Notifiable Disease Management Guidelines Retrieved April 10, 2011, from http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd- vac/varicella/default.htm#vacc Directors of Health Promotion and Education, DHPE. (2010). Chickenpox. Retrieved April 10, 2011, from http://www.dhpe.org/infect/Chicken.html Monroe County Health Department. (2009). what is Public Health? Retrieved April 10, 2011, from