research paper is to discuss the communicable disease chicken pox

The purpose of this research paper is to talk about the contagious disease chicken pox. Each disease has various components, therefore it is critical to follow epidemiological criteria when presenting pertinent information about a condition. The paper explains the etiology, symptoms, modes of transmission, complications, and treatment of chicken pox using nursing research methodology and epidemiological principles. The study goes on to investigate how several health variables contribute to the spread of chicken pox. Finally, the report will discuss the role of community nurses in preventing chicken pox, as well as identify and describe the agencies tasked with chicken pox management. Cause, Symptoms, transmission, Complications, Diagnosis and Treatment

Chickenpox: An Overview

Chickenpox is a highly contagious communicable disease that is caused by an infection with the Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) (“Chickenpox (Varicella),” 2016). The condition is also called Varicella. Chicken pox causes tiny itchy red blisters that eventually turn into scabs. The blisters first occur on the softer skin tissues of the body such as the neck and the face then spread to the back and the rest of the body. Chicken pox is historically considered a rite of passage for children since it attacked almost all children below the age of 12 at one point during growth. It is very rare to be infected by VZV twice over a lifetime (”Chickenpox (Varicella),” 2016).

Signs and Symptoms

The sign and symptoms of chicken pox occur in different phases during the period of infection, and diverse groups of people have different symptoms. Children under 12 do not register prodromal or early sign of infection but develop a rash in the oral cavity that develops into small red spots on the neck, the face, the torso, scalp and the arms. It only takes less than 12 hours for the small dots to become blisters due to the soft tissues of children and later the blisters scab over when the healing begins. The symptoms can last for five to ten days (”Chickenpox (Varicella),” 2016).

Adolescents and adults develop early signs upon contact with the virus. First symptoms characteristics are a loss of appetite nausea, headache and aching muscles. Skin rash begins roughly two days after the prodromal symptoms and occurs in three phases. Firstly, red or pink bumps develop in various parts of the body. Secondly, the dots fill with leaking fluid which results from constant itching and finally the bumps scab over and begin to heal (”Chickenpox (Varicella),” 2016).

Modes of Transmission

Varicella spreads through contact with an infected person. Touching the blisters of an infected person before they scab over leads to a transmission if a person is not immune to the disease. The VZV virus can also spread through coughing, sneezing or contact with saliva and therefore, chicken pox is an airborne illness. Transmission can occur before blisters are visible due to the highly contagious nature of chicken pox (”Chickenpox (Varicella),” 2016).

Complications and Diagnosis

The most common complications resulting from chickenpox are pneumonia, skin infection, inflammation of the brain and excessive bleeding. The complications are more severe among adults than children, and one can last up to 21 days before visible signs of a complication. There are rare cases of Arterial Ischemic Stroke (AIS) that occur a year after infection among children and shingles which occur much later among adults. The complications are fatal and are responsible for a third of chickenpox-related deaths (”Chickenpox”, 2016).

Symptoms serve as the diagnosis for chickenpox, but physicians can confirm infections through a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. A person can also be tested for antibodies to determine their immunity status. Immunization by varicella vaccine is the primary prevention criteria which and vaccination has reduced infection rates over the years. Proper hygiene, avoiding contact with infected persons and chickenpox vaccination are some of the preventive measures. Chickenpox is treated through the management of symptoms while awaiting the VZV virus to pass through the body. Management is done by applying ointments and washing in lukewarm water to relieve itching, applying unscented lotion and wearing light clothing. Antiviral drugs also lessen the severity of symptoms for people with complications (”Chickenpox,” 2016).

Risk Factors for Chickenpox

The determinants of health are the social, economic, environmental and risk factors that contribute to the spread of a disease. Chicken pox health determinants cut across age, immunity, social factors, health condition and environmental factors. Firstly, 75 % - 90 % of chickenpox cases occur primarily in children under ages 10-12 years with the rest occurring during adulthood. Before the introduction of varicella vaccine in the U.S in 1995, about four million chicken pox cases occurred annually (Tafuri et al., 2012). The incidence has reduced by 90 % since the immunization commenced. Secondly, immunity is vital for preventing an infection with VZV or the spread of chickenpox. Persons with low immunity are at high risk of contracting the illness when exposed to transmission agents. For example, newborn babies, patients under chemotherapy treatment, those who are HIV-positive and athletes who consume high dosage of steroids. Thirdly, pregnant women are at high risk of infection which can cause complications to the mother and the unborn baby (”Chickenpox,” 2016). Fourthly, the development of chickenpox follows an environmental cycle. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the lowest rates of occurrence in the US are reported to occur in September. The numbers increase during the autumn period and are highest in March and April. The seasonality of chickenpox corresponds to the school year calendar in the US where children spread the illness when schools open at fall and the spread reduces drastically during the summer (Tafuri et al., 2012).

Chickenpox Epidemiological Triangle

The Epidemiologic Triangle is a traditional model of infectious diseases that consists of an agent, a host, and the environment. The agent refers to the microbe that causes the disease, i.e., the “what.” The host is the organism that harbor and contracts the disease, i.e., the ”who,” while the environment is the external factors that favor the spread of the infection, i.e., the ”where.” (”Epidemiologic Triad”, 2017).

The VZV virus is the causative agent of chicken pox. Different hosts react differently to the same agent. For example, the human body is the host for varicella virus, but adults have a high prevalence of developing complications compared to children. The environment favorable for the spread of chickenpox are crowded places where transmission is likely through contact, coughing, sneezing. Another environmental factor is the time of year, for example, March and April are the peak months for the spread of chickenpox in the United States (”Epidemiologic Triad,” 2017).

The Role of Community Health Nurses

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010 in the US to expand public health by evolving the roles of nurses and other public health workers. Firstly, the primary role of community health nurses is to maintain a healthy community by delivering preventive services such as vaccinations and immunization (”Public Health Nurse,” 2017).

Secondly, health departments at the state and federal level rely on reports by community health nurses to identify the cases of varicella and the deaths resulting from complications. For example, nurses analyze and assess communities using the available data and collecting additional data through various methods of research so that they can evaluate community health and implement proper measures to improve community health to manage chickenpox and administer treatment (”Public Health Nurse,” 2017).

Thirdly, through the Public Health Information Network (PHIN), community health nurses diagnose and keep records of varicella disease for future comparison and verification. PHIN is useful for providing a patient’s history of infection in subsequent cases of chickenpox in adults and later complications as a result of illness during childhood (”Public Health Nurse,” 2017). Fourthly, nurses nurture relationships with individuals and families in the local community to make it easier for them to collect information on knowledge and recommendations about chickenpox cases. Finally, nurses provide conditions during management of the symptoms in case of an epidemic. For example, community nurses provide light cotton clothing to prevent discomfort caused by blisters (“Public Health Nurse,” 2017).

Agencies and Organizations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is one of the United States health protection agencies that addresses chickenpox. CDC saves lives and protects people from threats posed by chickenpox especially in high prevalence seasons such as school days and highly crowded places. To accomplish the management, prevention, and treatment of varicella, CDC conducts critical science through research and data collection and provides health information regarding prevention methods and educating the masses on risk factors. The CDC also launches programs and sponsors policies to promote a broad range of health functions, for instance, health IT and information systems to support health education (”Chickenpox (Varicella),” 2016).

Conclusion

Chickenpox occurs worldwide, and causes and symptoms are the same in all nations, but the region of occurrence, age, and immunity determine the severity of risk factors. The disease is preventable through immunization at an early age and vaccination is essential for management of the VZV virus during outbreak season. The CDC and other government agencies educate people on chickenpox epidemiology to promote health and reduce adverse outcomes. Community health nurses have the most crucial role in the efforts to eliminate and curb chickenpox.

References

Chickenpox (Varicella). (2016). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved 27 May 2017, from [www.cdc.gov/chickenpox/about/symptoms.html].

Complications of Chickenpox. (2016). National Health Services Choices. Retrieved 27 May 2017, from [www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Chickenpox/Pages/Complications.aspx].

Tafuri, S., Guerra, R., Cappelli, M., Martinelli, D., Prato, R., & Germinario, C. (2012). Determinants of varicella breakthrough. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved 27 May 2017, from [www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4130284/].

Epidemiologic Triad. (2017). Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved 27 May 2017, from [onlinecourses.science.psu.edu/stat507/node/25].

Public Health Nurse. (2017). nursesource.org. Retrieved 27 May 2017, from [www.nursesource.org/publichealth.html].