Dr Alexander Salerno: Preventing Chicken Pox by Preventative Medicine
Dr Alexander Salerno: Preventing Chicken Pox by Preventative Medicine
Chicken pox is a viral infection that is contagious and develops extremely itchy blisters all over the infected person’s body. Its occurrence was common in children earlier but with introduction of vaccines against it, it has become less common.
Caused by varicella zoster virus, chicken pox can spread from touching the fluids from the chicken pox blister or from an infected person if he coughs or sneezes close to you. A person infected with chicken pox becomes contagious even before the blisters appear and remains contagious until all the blisters have crusted over.
Dr Alexander Salerno: Preventing Chicken Pox by Preventative Medicine
Since it is difficult to avoid chicken pox, vaccines are available to prevent it. The varicella vaccine provides complete protection for nearly 90 percent of children from the virus and even when the vaccine doesn’t provide complete protection it reduces the severity of the disease significantly, with less severe rashes and usually no fever.
Vaccination in Young Children
The varicella vaccine is recommended for children at the age of 12 to 18 months and a second dose at the age of 4 to 6 in the US. The vaccine maybe administered in combination form with vaccine for mumps, measles, rubella, and varicella (MMRV, ProQuad). If a child is infected before being vaccinated, he does not need the vaccine. In case of a combination vaccine, young children may experience fever and seizure.
Vaccination in Older Children
Older children aged 7 to 12 years who have not been vaccinated earlier need to be given two catch up doses of the chicken pox vaccine, administered at least three months apart. Children older than 13 years receive two catch up doses too, administered minimum four weeks apart.
While administering the varicella vaccine to young and older children certain precautions are recommended. Since the vaccine contains a live virus, it is not suggested for children with a compromised immune system or if they have fever or any other severe illness. It is recommended not to give the vaccine to children who have a severe allergy to neomycin or gelatine.
Vaccination in Adults
Adults having been infected with chicken pox as children are immune to the infection. However adults who do not possess immunity to chicken pox can gain from being vaccinated.
Adults who are susceptible to infection include health care workers, child care employees, military personnel, teachers, adults in contact with people with a compromised immune system, international travellers, and women of childbearing age, and adults who live with young children.
Adults receive two doses of the vaccine, at least four to eight weeks apart. A blood test can determine the immunity, if an adult cannot recollect having the infection as a child.
The vaccine is not approved for pregnant women and those allergic to antibiotic neomycin or gelatine.
Side Effects of the Vaccine
The chicken pox vaccine is usually safe and effective and only has mild side effects include swelling, soreness, redness, and rarely small bumps at the site of the vaccination shot.
Dr. Alexander Salerno has made it clear that Preventive Medicine is introduced as a boon for human beings to well treat ailments at the advance stage before it even strikes the recipient.