VZV - Chickenpox or Shingles?
Chickenpox and shingles are two relatively common results of
viral infection with varicella-zoster virus (VZV). Chickenpox is one of the common childhood diseases and it
usually is not life threatening.
It generally begins with the obvious signs of a red skin rash
that develops over three to four days, affecting the whole body.
Generally there are anywhere from 250 to 500 itchy blisters
that dry into scabs over the course of two to four days and it is not
unusual for this to be associated with a mild fever for one or two
days. During this time children sometimes experience headache,
fussiness, coughing and diminished appetite.
They are generally uncomfortable and they will attempt to
scratch these scabs. Chickenpox
can be spread easily by direct contact with an infected person,
especially by the fluid from the broken blisters.
This viral infection can also be spread by coughing or
sneezing. A child with
chickenpox should stay home from school or daycare until no longer
contagious. If a person
who has never had chickenpox is exposed to this infection they may not
show symptoms for as much as 10 to 21 days.
VZV causes chickenpox in children usually before their tenth
birthday and until recently it could not be prevented, only treated.
Historically there had been about four million cases of chickenpox in
the United States each year; however, that was before the advent of
the vaccine. This
vaccination appears to be safe but it, too, may cause mild illness.
Some doctors believe that the immunity from the vaccine can
wear off; however, many infectious disease experts feel that it is
very similar to other vaccines that have been around for more than 50
years that are known to provide permanent immunity.
There does not appear to be any reason that this particular
vaccine should “wear off”. About
20 percent of vaccinated children may still get chickenpox but they
generally have fewer than 50 blisters and they are ill for a shorter
period of time. If a
child gets chickenpox oatmeal baths can help to relieve the itching.
There are medications available to relieve fever; however, aspirin
should not be used as it has been associated with Reye’s syndrome, a
disease that affects the liver and brain. Also, there are new antiviral medications that help to lessen
the severity of chickenpox. Chickenpox
vaccine is approved for use in healthy children; however, there are
certain groups of people who should not receive it.
Children with a weakened immune system or with life threatening
allergies to gelatin or antibiotic neomycin should not receive this
vaccination. Also,
pregnant women should not receive this vaccination.
Once a person has had chickenpox the virus remains in the body
permanently and later in life it may reappear, although in a different
form. This virus resides
in a specialized structure within sensory nerves and if it reappears
later in life it is referred to as shingles or herpes zoster. These eruptions do not involve the entire body but rather a
very discreet area on the body following the pathway of a particular
nerve. About 10 to 20
percent of people who have had chickenpox eventually develop shingles.
This also results in blister-like eruptions that itch or cause
severe pain in the affected nerves.
These blisters develop over the course of three to four days
and generally last for two or three weeks.
Antiviral medications and local analgesics effectively lessen
the severity of shingles. |
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