hca/240 week 2 assignment
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Infectious Disease: Chickenpox
HCA/240
Varicella, known as chickenpox, is a common childhood disease. Children
generally get chickenpox before the age of 12 ("Chickenpox (varicella)", 2005-2012).
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INFECTIOUS DISEASE: CHICKENPOX
Chickenpox is highly contagious. A vaccine is available for children to protect against
contracting chickenpox. The chickenpox vaccine, Varivax, is available for children.
Varivax is a two-dose vaccine given to healthy children. Most states mandate children
receive the vaccine before starting kindergarten. Children may still contract chickenpox
even though they received the vaccine. Children whom contract chickenpox will become
immune to the disease and cannot contract it a second time. The virus may remain in
the body inactively. The virus may activate causing shingles.
Varicella is highly contagious and is easily spread from one person to the next
through direct contact, droplet transmission, and airborne transmission (Zelman,
Tompary, Raymond, Holdaway, & Mulvihill, 2010, p. 48). Coughing and sneezing are
examples of droplet and airborne transmission. Contact with the fluid from the
chickenpox blisters is an example of direct contact.
Chickenpoxs first symptoms are fever, sore throat, headache, abdominal pain,
and discomfort a day or two before a rash appears. Following these symptoms, the child
will then form a red, itchy skin rash throughout the body. The rash generally starts on
the abdomen, back, and face and continues to affect other areas of the body, including
the mouth, nose, ears, and genitals. The rash appearance will look like little pimples or
insect bites. The small bumps then develop into fluid-filled blisters. The fluid is a clear
fluid that will become cloudy. The blister will rupture and will leave an open sore. Once
the sore crusts over, a brown scab will appear. Excessive scratching may cause severe
skin infections or scars. Calamine lotion may help relieve some of the itching. A person
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affected with the virus may spread it for up to 48 hours before the rash appears. The
affected person will remain contagious until all the skin lesions crust over.
The bodys natural response to varicella virus is fever, abdominal pain, sneezing,
and coughing. The fever is to prevent the pathogen from growing. Motrin or Tylenol may
help reduce fever. The abdominal pain may because of the digestive system creating
more hydrochloric acid, naturally found in gastric acid. The digestive system creates
hydrochloric acid to destroy the virus. Sneezing and coughing are the bodys natural
defense to rid trapped particles.
Varicella is common in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, CDC, (n.d.) website , About 4 million people would get it each
year. Also, 10,500 to 13,000 people were hospitalized and 100 to 150 people died
because of chickenpox each year . Some people may never contract the virus, and
some may contract the virus only once. There is no evidence as to why an individuals
body reacts in this manner.
A person can help with controlling the spread of the virus by covering his or her
mouth while coughing or sneezing. Washing hands is another way to contribute to
controlling the spread of the virus. Sanitizing hands or frequently touched surfaces will
also reduce the spread of the virus. The consequences of not controlling the spread of
varicella may lead to death in an unhealthy person, or may lead to shingles. Shingles is
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INFECTIOUS DISEASE: CHICKENPOX
the chickenpox virus activating again. A person who has had the disease or never
received the vaccine may be vulnerable to shingles, than a person who has received
the vaccine and experienced varicella.
Receiving the varicella vaccine will help control the virus from either occurring or
spreading. People with weakened immune systems (HIV/AIDS, cancer, or receiving
radiation treatment) cannot receive the varicella vaccine. Receiving the varicella vaccine
with a weakened immune system may contribute to the person contracting the virus; the
immune system may not be able to fight against the virus, and the person may die. If a
person believes he or she develops the symptoms of the virus and makes an
appointment to inform a physician to confirm it, the person should schedule an
appointment when the waiting room is unoccupied. The person should also restrain
from visitation with other people.
Two doses of the vaccine are recommended. The first dose should be between
12 and 15 months. The second dose should occur between four and six years. If a
person has never had chickenpox or received the vaccine, the person should receive
the two doses 28 days apart. Even though a person receives the vaccine, he or she
may still contract the disease. Chickenpox is generally very mild in a vaccinated person.
A vaccinated person will have fewer blisters, less likely to have a fever, and recovery
time is faster.
Everyone should contribute to control the spread of the varicella virus. Sanitizing
surfaces and hands will help tremendously for controlling the spread. Teaching children
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at a young age about covering their mouths and noses while sneezing or coughing will
also help. Educating a person at every age about the vaccine will be helpful. Mandating
the vaccine for every child in every state should be a priority. The varicella virus can be
controlled and maybe even prevented if people take extra precautions to regulate the
virus.
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References
Chickenpox Can Be Serious: Protect Your Child. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/PreventChickenpox/
Chickenpox (Varicella). (2005-2012). Retrieved from
http://www.webmd.com/vaccines/tc/chickenpox-varicella-topic-overview
Zelman, M., Tompary, E., Raymond, J., Holdaway, P., & Mulvihill, M.L., (2010). Human
Diseases A Systemic Approach (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson
Education.