Viral diseases
From the editors of Younghealth
Chicken pox
Chickenpox(varicella),a viral illness characterized by very itchy red rash, is one of the most common infectious disease of child hood.
Symptoms: High temperature(fever), aches and headache often start a day or so before a rash appears. Spots appear in crops. They develop into small blisters and are itchy. They can be anywhere on the body. Several crops may develop over several days. Some children may be covered in spots; others have only a few or even none. The rash starts off looking like red spots, which then blister, and then scab over.
Causes:Chickenpox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus. You catch it by coming into contact with someone who is infected.
Spread:The virus spreads in the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It can also be spread by touching or breathing in the virus particles that come from chickenpox blisters.
Diagnosis:A doctor usually bases a diagnosis of chickenpox on the clinical history and physical findings.
Prevention:If you have chickenpox, stay off from work until you're no longer infectious , which is until the last blister has burst and has crusted over.
Symptoms: High temperature(fever), aches and headache often start a day or so before a rash appears. Spots appear in crops. They develop into small blisters and are itchy. They can be anywhere on the body. Several crops may develop over several days. Some children may be covered in spots; others have only a few or even none. The rash starts off looking like red spots, which then blister, and then scab over.
Causes:Chickenpox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus. You catch it by coming into contact with someone who is infected.
Spread:The virus spreads in the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It can also be spread by touching or breathing in the virus particles that come from chickenpox blisters.
Diagnosis:A doctor usually bases a diagnosis of chickenpox on the clinical history and physical findings.
Prevention:If you have chickenpox, stay off from work until you're no longer infectious , which is until the last blister has burst and has crusted over.
Bibliography: www.nhs.co.uk, www.britannica.com