Case Study #2

Long Term Effects

• The chickenpox virus stays in the body and can reawaken later to cause shingles.
• While the virus stays relatively dormant, shingles can happen when the boy is at low immunity.
• Other long term effects can include scarring as a result of scratching a lesion/open sore during the time of infection.
• source:http://www.adultvaccination.org/vpd/chickenpox/facts.html

Prevention

• The best way to prevent chickenpox is to get the chickenpox vaccine. Children, adolescents, and adults should get two doses of chickenpox vaccine.
• Chickenpox vaccine is very safe and effective at preventing the disease.
• This vaccine prevents almost all cases of severe disease.

source: https://www.cdc.gov/chickenpox/about/prevention-treatment.html

Patient Profile

Method of Transmission

• This virus is transmitted mainly by touching or breathing in the virus particles that come from chicken pox blisters, and possibly through tiny droplets from infected people that breathe or talk, for example.
• VZV can also cause shingles as well. People can also get chicken pox from people who have shingles. This can happen if a person touches or breathes in the particles from the shingles blisters.
• Types of Transmission: Direct, Indirect, and Droplet

Virology Case Study

Diagnosis:

Varicella Zoster Virus (Chicken Pox)

Viral Family and Characteristics

• A mother brought her 3 year-old child to the emergency department. The primary symptoms were fever, cough, and a rash for three days. There were lesions present that initially appeared as vesicles. After 3-4 days they ruptured and scabbed over.

• Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) is a member of the Herpesviridae family of viruses wich are large DNA viruses.
• VZV belongs to the Alphaherpesviridae sub family and is also called human herpes virus type 3.
• Herpesviridae is a family of enveloped, linear, double-stranded DNA viruses infecting a wide variety of animals.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chickenpox

Testing

https://www.countynewscenter.com/san-diego-man-dies-of-complications-from-chickenpox/

• The most sensitive method for confirming a diagnosis of varicella is the use of PCR to detect VZV in skin lesions .
• IgM testing is considerably less sensitive than PCR testing of skin lesions. Commercial IgM assay may not be reliable and false negative IgM results are not uncommon.
• A single positive IgG ELISA result cannot be used to confirm a varicella case.
• This test cannot distinguish whether the antibodies were from a past episode of varicella or vaccination.
• Specimen of choice is typically the scrapings of skin lesions
• Other tests: Cell culture, immunoflourescent stain, serology.

Source:https://www.cdc.gov/chickenpox/hcp/lab-tests.html#interpretation

Group #1

Treatment

• Acyclovir, an antiviral medication, is licensed for treatment of chickenpox. The medication works best if it is given within the first 24 hours after the rash starts.
• Do not use aspirin or aspirin-containing products to relieve fever from chickenpox.
• The use of aspirin in children with chickenpox has been associated with Reye’s syndrome.

source: https://www.cdc.gov/chickenpox/about/prevention-treatment.html