Chickenpox by NinthElement 2013/07/03 19:05
A classic childhood disease, chickenpox is caused by infection with a virus known by doctors as varicella zoster. It is both highly contagious and airborne, and can be caught through coughs or sneezes from an infected person or any form of direct physical contact with them.
The severity of symptoms depends on the age of a person who contracts the disease, and they tend to be milder in children than adults. The main characteristic symptom is an itchy rash which usually begins on the mouth or face but spreads to other parts of the body, leading to itchy blisters and pustules which gradually become crusty and turn to scabs. This in itself can be lead to much discomfort for the patient, in combination with other common symptoms such as mild fever and tiredness.
Chickenpox is generally not a life-threatening disease especially in children, and the symptoms will usually pass within a week. There is a vaccine available for chickenpox in some countries, which offers immunity for 5 years. The disease itself is thought to give the sufferer a degree of long-term immunity once the symptoms have passed (though it has been observed this is not guaranteed to be permanent). The best means of prevention overall is simply to keep away from affected individuals.
A classic childhood disease, chickenpox is caused by infection with a virus known by doctors as varicella zoster. It is both highly contagious and airborne, and can be caught through coughs or sneezes from an infected person or any form of direct physical contact with them.
The severity of symptoms depends on the age of a person who contracts the disease, and they tend to be milder in children than adults. The main characteristic symptom is an itchy rash which usually begins on the mouth or face but spreads to other parts of the body, leading to itchy blisters and pustules which gradually become crusty and turn to scabs. This in itself can be lead to much discomfort for the patient, in combination with other common symptoms such as mild fever and tiredness.
Chickenpox is generally not a life-threatening disease especially in children, and the symptoms will usually pass within a week. There is a vaccine available for chickenpox in some countries, which offers immunity for 5 years. The disease itself is thought to give the sufferer a degree of long-term immunity once the symptoms have passed (though it has been observed this is not guaranteed to be permanent). The best means of prevention overall is simply to keep away from affected individuals.
#74 Trash Zone
A junkyard for threads to be deleted later.