Disease: Varicella (Chickenpox)
Type of micro-organism: Virus
Image or diagram:
Body with Chickenpox disease
Transmission of the disease:
Chickenpox can spread through any contact with infected person, coughs and sneezes. It is highly contagious approximately two days before the spots appear.
The period for chickenpox is 5-26 days. Any person who has had the disease before is considered immune.
Signs and symptoms:
Chickenpox causes red, itchy rashes like insect bites that often appear on back and face, then all over the body. The rashes begin small, and then become thin-walled blisters filled with fluid.
The person infected by chickenpox feels sick and abdominally painful about 2 days before the rash appears. The younger a person is, the fewer blisters appear.
Prevention and/or treatment:
It is not necessary to have any antibiotics since the disease is caused by a virus.
The infected can use acyclovir, an antiviral drug which makes the infection less dangerous within 24 hours after the rash first appears but it has severe side affects. Therefore, the drug is only allowed to be used when necessary. The doctor can tell which medication is right.
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