7/28/2019 Drugs That Relieve Pain and Inflammation Part 2

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7/28/2019 Drugs That Relieve Pain and Inflammation Part 2

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Transmission is via droplets, aerosol or direct contact, and patients are usually contagiousfrom a few days before rash onset until the rash has crusted over. While mostly a mild disorder inchildhood, varicella tends to be more severe in adults. It is characterized by an itchy, vesicularrash, usually starting on the scalp and face, and initially accompanied by fever and malaise. As therash gradually spreads to the trunk and extremities, the first vesicles dry out. It normally takes

about 710 days for all crusts to disappear. May be fatal, especially in neonates and immunocompromised persons. Complications include VZV- induced pneumonitis or encephalitis and invasive group Astreptococcal infections. Following infection, the virus remains latent in neural ganglia; upon subsequentreactivation, VZV may cause zoster (shingles), a disease affecting mainly immunocompromisedpersons and the elderly.

Vaccine

Various formulations of the live attenuated vaccine, based on the so-called Oka strain ofVZV, are in use.

Some formulations are approved for use at 9 months of age and older. Following a singledose, The optimal age for varicella vaccination is 1224 months. In Japan and several other countries, 1 dose of the vaccine is considered sufficient, regardless of age. In the United States, 2 doses, 48 weeks apart, are recommended for adolescents andadults. In a few cases (