Chicken Pox Pamphlet

620 Words3 Pages
Chicken pox What is it? • Chicken pox is an infection by a virus called the varicella-zoster virus. • The most visible symptom is the blister like rash that develops on the body. • Most people will have chicken pox at some point in their lives. During the infection, the body’s immune system will create antibodies which fights the virus. This usually results in life long immunity to the chicken pox virus. • It is uncommon for a person to be affected by chicken pox more than once. • Chicken pox is usually an infection that affects children but can affect adults if they did not have chicken pox as a child. What causes it? • Chicken pox is caused by a very contagious infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus. • It is an airbourne virus, which means it is easily and rapidly spread through sneezing and coughing. Droplets of water expelled from the nose and mouth of the infected person are inhaled by those around them • The infection may also be caused by direct contact with the secretions from the blisters. • The varicella virus has an incubation period of between 10 and 21 days. This means the rash will appear from 10 to 21 days after the virus has infected the patient. • A person infected with the virus is contagious about two days before the rash appears and will continue being so for another four to five days. Children or adults with weakened immune systems can be contagious for longer. • When the blisters have crusted over, they can no longer pass it onto others. Symptoms Before the rash appears: • Malaise • Aching muscles • Fever • Loss of appetite These symptoms are then followed by • An itchy rash. Some may only have a few spots while others are covered all over the body • The spots usually appear in clusters behind the ears, on the face, scalp, limbs and on the chest and stomach. • The spots then develop into little

More about Chicken Pox Pamphlet

Open Document