Chickenpox

**Chickenpox**, dem sanso know as **varicella** (/ˌværɪˈsɛlə/ ⓘ *VARR-iss-EL-ə*), be a highly contagious disease wey be caused by varicella zoster virus (VZV), a member of de herpesvirus family. De disease dey result in a characteristic skin rash wey dey form small, itchy blisters, wich eventually dey scab over. E usually dey start on de chest, back, den face. E then dey spread to de rest of de body. De rash den oda symptoms, such as fever, tiredness, den headaches, usually dey last five to seven days. Complications fi occasionally include pneumonia, inflammation of de brain, den bacterial skin infections. De disease usually be more severe insyd adults dan insyd kiddies.

Chickenpox be an airborne disease wich easily dey spread via human-to-human transmission, typically thru de coughs den sneezes of an infected person. De incubation period be 10–21 days, after wich de characteristic rash appear. E fi be spread from one to two days before de rash appear til na all lesions crust over. E sanso fi spread thru contact plus de blisters. Those plus shingles fi spread chickenpox to those wey no be immune thru contact plus de blisters. De disease usually fi be diagnosed base on de presenting symptom; however, insyd unusual cases e fi be confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing of de blister fluid anaa scabs. Dem fi do testing for antibodies to determine if a person be immune. People usually dey get chickenpox once per. Although reinfections by de virus dey occur, dese reinfections usually no dey cause any symptoms.

Since ein introduction insyd 1995 insyd de United States, na de varicella vaccine result in a decrease insyd de number of cases den complications from de disease. E dey protect about 70–90 percent of people from disease plus a greater benefit for severe disease. Routine immunization of kiddies be recommended insyd chaw countries. Immunization within three days of exposure fi improve outcomes insyd kiddies. Treatment of those infected fi include calamine lotion to help plus itching, keeping de fingernails short to decrease injury from scratching, den de use of paracetamol (acetaminophen) to help plus fevers. For those at increased risk of complications, antiviral medication such as aciclovir be recommended.

Chickenpox dey occur insyd all parts of de world. Insyd 2013, na der be 140 million cases of chickenpox den shingles worldwide. Before routine immunization na de number of cases wey dey occur each year be similar to de number of people dem born. Since immunization na de number of infections insyd de United States decrease nearly 90%. Insyd 2015 na chickenpox result in 6,400 deaths globally – down from 8,900 insyd 1990. Death occur insyd about 1 per 60,000 cases. Na dem no separate chickenpox from smallpox til de late 19th century. Insyd 1888 na dem determine ein connection to shingles. Na de first documented use of de term *chicken pox* be insyd 1658. Na dem suggest various explanations give de use of "chicken" insyd de name, one be de relative mildness of de disease.

## References


## External links

* Prevention of Varicella: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 1996
* Antiviral therapy of varicella-zoster virus infections, 2007
* Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases: Varicella, US CDC's "Pink Book"
* Chickenpox at MedlinePlus