CHICKEN POX

• Chicken pox


  Other term: Varicella zoster
• Chicken pox


  • Acute infectious disease of sudden onset with slight fever, mild constitutional symptoms and eruptions which are maculopapular for a few hours, vesicular for 3-4 days and leaves granular scabs
• Etiologic Agent


  Human (alpha) herpes virus 3 (Varicella-zoster virus)
• Sources of Infection


  • Secretions of respiratory tract of infected persons
  • Lesions (little consequence)
• Scabs are not infective
• Mode of Transmission


  • Direct contact
  • Contact with contaminated linen and fomites
  • Airborne
• Incubation Period


  2 to 3 weeks
• Period of Communicability


  Cases are infectious for up to 2 days before the onset of the rash until 5 days after the first crop of vesicles
• Diagnostic Test


  • Isolation of the virus from the vesicular fluid within the first 3 to 4 days of the rash
  • Serum antibodies is present in 7 days after onset
• Congenital Varicella


  • Hypoplastic, deformities and scarring of limb
  • Retarded growth
  • CNS and ophthalmic manifestation
• Nursing Considerations


  1. Strict Isolation

  2. Exclusion from school for 1 week after eruption first appears and avoid contact with susceptible

  3. Concurrent disinfection if throat and nose discharge

  4. Tell the patient not to scratch the lesions

  5. Teach the child and the family how to apply topical antipruritic medication correctly
• Susceptibility, Resistance & Occurrence

  • Universal among those not previously attacked
  • Severe in adults
  • An attack confers long immunity
  • Second attacks are rare
• Prevention


  • Vaccine
  • Varicella-zoster Immune Globulin (VZIG) - It should be given within 10 days of exposure