Chickenpox Essay

Chickenpox, which is also called varicella, is an infection caused by the zoster virus. It shows symptoms of itchy red blisters that appear all over the body. Although it is a virus, people recover within two weeks after contracting the communicable disease. In the past, it was a common childhood illness which was also seen as a rite of passage where people were not bothered by it. Adults are hardly affected by the illness but when it does in most cases it is very sever. It is highly contagious but it can be managed at home without going to the hospital. In addition, few children may need special treatment by a physician due to complications. Therefore, this disease is not life-threatening apart for a few cases but it needs more attention to try and eradicate it from the world.

Giovanni Filippo in the 16th century was the first to give a description of chickenpox where people did not know the difference between it and smallpox. It was demonstrated by William Heberden in 1769 that smallpox is different from chickenpox (Buchanan & Kean, 1987). It was researched further and Rudolf Steiner proved that it was caused by an infectious agent. Furthermore, in 1909 the first clinical observation was done by Von Bokay whereas, Michiaki Takahashi developed the first live vaccine.

Mode of Transmission

Chickenpox mostly occurs through contact with an already infected person which takes about 48 hours to see the symptoms. It is also transmitted through the air by coughing, sneezing and by coming into contact with fluids like saliva or fluids from the infected person blisters (Wilson, 2006).

Prevalence

The commonness of chickenpox decreases with age thus making it common among children with the age of 1-4 years (Hummert & Van Gerven, 1985. In developed countries, the number of the infected people is lower compared to those which have not developed. The incidences reported in the developed countries are from 1500-1600 cases per 100,000 people per year. Chickenpox is like any other disease that has no limits, it can affect anybody from anywhere.

Symptoms

The symptoms of chickenpox are characterized by rashes which are the hallmark symptom followed by feeling unwell (Jackson & Kershner, 1999). Whereby, it is deadly in adults than children causing a number of disorders like loss of appetite. After, spots appear in groups on different body parts like the face and stomach which are red due to itching.

Complications and Treatment

Although chickenpox is not fatal it brings about complications such as dehydration, skin and bone bacterial infections. Moreover, treating it is simple and does not need a doctor’s appointment unless severe cases in adults. Someone can treat it at home by taking a cool oatmeal bath, applying medical lotions, wearing loose cotton clothes to enable the skin to breathe. Infected people are advised not to scratch but to tap or pat when it feels itchy.

Determinants and Epidemiology

The most important determiners of health in chickenpox is access to a vaccine. The United States has recommended it for all children, unlike other countries whereby, they have recommended it for high-risk cases. The other determinant is biological in which the virus causes dangerous and different conditions known as shingle or herpes zoster. It is carried by humans as the host and reservoir and infects humans since only those infected can transmit the disease. In adults the virus can kill if not attended to but in children is a matter of controlling to avoid more infections (Grose, 1981).

In conclusion, while the vaccine helps in managing the disease more needs to be done in educating people on how to control or prevent it. the community can also help in tracking, recording data and also educate members about the vaccine and its safety.