ERUPTIVE DISEASES

• Chickenpox

  Also known as Varicella
• Causative agent

  Human (alpha) herpes virus 3 (varicella-zoster virus), a member of the Herpesvirus group
• Period of communicability

  Not more than one day before and more than 6 days after the first crop of vesicles
• Modes of transmission

  • Droplet spread
  • Direct contact
  • Indirect through articles freshly soiled by discharges of infected persons
• Incubation period

  1. 3 weeks, commonly 13 to 17 days
• Pathognomonic signs

  • Vesiculo-pustular rashes
  • Centrifugal of rashes- rashes which begin on the trunk and spread peripherally and more abundant on covered body parts
  • Pruritus
• Management/Treatment

  No specific diagnostic exam<|>Treatment is supportive and symptomatic; infection viral in origin and therefore is self-limiting
• Drug of choice

  Acyclovir/Zovirax (orally to reduce the number of lesions, topically to lessen the pruritus)<|>Never give Aspirin as it may lead to Reye's Syndrome
• Nursing diagnoses

  • Disturbance in body image
  • Impairment of skin integrity
• Prevention

  1. Case over 15 years of age should be investigated to eliminate possibility of smallpox

  2. Report to local authority

  3. Isolation

  4. Concurrent disinfection of throat and nose discharges

  5. Exclusion from school for 1 week after eruption first appears

  6. Avoid contact with susceptibles