Chickenpox disease(research)

This project requires you to apply knowledge of pathophysiology, research techniques, and scientific writing to prepare a report on a disease, injury, or some other pathologic condition of your choosing. This assignment will be graded on how well you address the questions; clarity; organization; grammar and spelling; and use of resources. You can use the resources you discover as part of your Disease Analysis Journal that are relevant to your project topic.
Format of Research Paper
Title Page: Title of report, course name and number, instructor’s name, your name, and the date
Introduction:
Definition/description of your topic (~2-3 paragraphs): An overview of key elements related to the condition you have researched, such as history, epidemiology, populations/ages affected, transmission, and genetics, as applicable. Include presentation of key items you will further explain in the Content section.
Summarize your “discoveries” (~1-2 paragraphs). This section will cover knowledge new to you and that you found especially interesting.
Content:
Present normal functions of system(s) or organ(s) followed by details of weaknesses in the tissue(s)/structure(s) which make them vulnerable to injury or disease, especially to the medical condition you have chosen. Emphasize chemical and cellular changes to primary and secondary systems affected.
Include diagnostic methods and criteria (i.e., signs/symptoms, radiology, blood tests, specialized testing, as applicable)
Demonstrate understanding of effects on other organs and systems; this may include psychosocial issues.
Explain medical and other interventions that may alleviate the problem or its symptoms, including beneficial and adverse effects.
Discuss the usual degree of severity (i.e., short- and long-term limitations) and prognosis for recovery.
Reflection: Explain in 2-4 paragraphs the value of this project to you and to your understanding of the disease/injury processes, healing, and patient education.
Reference List: All sources cited and/or used in your research project should be listed in a reference page in the APA Style format.

Resources for Chickenpox Disease
1. Burden of varicella in Latin America and the Caribbean: Findings from a systematic literature review
Arlant, L. H. F., Garcia, M. C. P., Aguero, M. L. A., Cashat, M., Parellada, C. I., & Wolfson, L. J. (2019). Burden of varicella in Latin America and the Caribbean: findings from a systematic literature review. BMC public health, 19(1), 1-18. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-019-6795-0.
I chose this article because it highlights the level of incidence across Latin America and Caribbean. These segments have no publicly funded childhood national immunizations and thus are at high risk of exposure to the disease. This article informs the audience about possible health complications and death that can occur among children exposed to chickenpox.
2. Chickenpox: Chickenpox is extremely contagious. Over 90% of unvaccinated people become infected.
Breuer, J., & Fifer, H. (2011). Chickenpox. BMJ clinical evidence, 2011, 0912. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3275319/
This study is important because it talks about the strategies for prevent chickenpox in healthy adults and children, the effects of the interventions and the safety and the effectiveness of the interventions. This source is valid and important to my research because knowing how to properly prevent infection by chickenpox or treat infected patients is extremely important.
3. Pathogenesis and current approaches to control of varicella-zoster virus infections.
Gershon, A. A., & Gershon, M. D. (2013). Pathogenesis and current approaches to control of varicella-zoster virus infections. Clinical microbiology reviews, 26(4), 728–743. https://doi.org/10.1128/CMR.00052-13
I chose this case study because it discusses how the virus is neurotropic and has a lifetime risk of reactivation which can be prevented by a vaccination. However the available vaccines have the potential to activate and cause clinical disease. It guides the development of an appropriate study in efforts to find a potential vaccine. This study is important because it could advance the vaccine effectiveness and reduce the side effects of the existing vaccine.
4. Global impact of varicella vaccination programs
Varela, F. H., Pinto, L. A., & Scotta, M. C. (2019). Global impact of varicella vaccination programs. Human vaccines & immunotherapeutics, 15(3), 645-657. DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2018.1546525
The reason behind the selection of the article is because it discusses the rational and benefits of vaccination programs. It informs and educates the readers about the need to vaccinate their children. Thus article is credible and valid because it offers quality information that enables individuals to make excellent decisions.
5. A rare but important complication of Varicella. Varicella could be associated with infrequent but serious complications.
Vital, L., Vieira, L., Nunes, B., Raposo, F., Veludo, V., & Pinho, A. (2020). Pediatric Pyomyositis: A Rare but Important Complication of Varicella. Case reports in orthopedics, 2020, 3896264. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/3896264
I chose this article because it assesses how varicella can translate into a more serious disease. This study looks at how to approach acute cases of the disease. This study is important because the awareness of musculoskeletal complications is vital to any physician who assesses these children to recognize alerting symptoms which will trigger an alert attitude to deal with the patient accordingly.

Resources for Chickenpox Disease
1. Burden of varicella in Latin America and the Caribbean: Findings from a systematic literature review
Arlant, L. H. F., Garcia, M. C. P., Aguero, M. L. A., Cashat, M., Parellada, C. I., & Wolfson, L. J. (2019). Burden of varicella in Latin America and the Caribbean: findings from a systematic literature review. BMC public health, 19(1), 1-18. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-019-6795-0.
I chose this article because it highlights the level of incidence across Latin America and Caribbean. These segments have no publicly funded childhood national immunizations and thus are at high risk of exposure to the disease. This article informs the audience about possible health complications and death that can occur among children exposed to chickenpox.
2. Chickenpox: Chickenpox is extremely contagious. Over 90% of unvaccinated people become infected.
Breuer, J., & Fifer, H. (2011). Chickenpox. BMJ clinical evidence, 2011, 0912. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3275319/
This study is important because it talks about the strategies for prevent chickenpox in healthy adults and children, the effects of the interventions and the safety and the effectiveness of the interventions. This source is valid and important to my research because knowing how to properly prevent infection by chickenpox or treat infected patients is extremely important.
3. Pathogenesis and current approaches to control of varicella-zoster virus infections.
Gershon, A. A., & Gershon, M. D. (2013). Pathogenesis and current approaches to control of varicella-zoster virus infections. Clinical microbiology reviews, 26(4), 728–743. https://doi.org/10.1128/CMR.00052-13
I chose this case study because it discusses how the virus is neurotropic and has a lifetime risk of reactivation which can be prevented by a vaccination. However the available vaccines have the potential to activate and cause clinical disease. It guides the development of an appropriate study in efforts to find a potential vaccine. This study is important because it could advance the vaccine effectiveness and reduce the side effects of the existing vaccine.
4. Global impact of varicella vaccination programs
Varela, F. H., Pinto, L. A., & Scotta, M. C. (2019). Global impact of varicella vaccination programs. Human vaccines & immunotherapeutics, 15(3), 645-657. DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2018.1546525
The reason behind the selection of the article is because it discusses the rational and benefits of vaccination programs. It informs and educates the readers about the need to vaccinate their children. Thus article is credible and valid because it offers quality information that enables individuals to make excellent decisions.
5. A rare but important complication of Varicella. Varicella could be associated with infrequent but serious complications.
Vital, L., Vieira, L., Nunes, B., Raposo, F., Veludo, V., & Pinho, A. (2020). Pediatric Pyomyositis: A Rare but Important Complication of Varicella. Case reports in orthopedics, 2020, 3896264. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/3896264
I chose this article because it assesses how varicella can translate into a more serious disease. This study looks at how to approach acute cases of the disease. This study is important because the awareness of musculoskeletal complications is vital to any physician who assesses these children to recognize alerting symptoms which will trigger an alert attitude to deal with the patient accordingly.

ANSWER

Introduction

Chickenpox is a viral infection that is caused by the varicella-zoster virus. The chickenpox condition has circulated in the world over the past few years with an increase in serious health concerns amongst healthcare providers. According to the World Health Organisation, the highest percentage of cases reported has been due to the absence of vaccination at a young age (Breuer and Fifer, 2011). This research paper will focus on a report on Chickenpox disease to demonstrate an understanding of the disease.

Epidemiology

Chickenpox has remained a huge health problem within the United States even though it is considered as a self-limit and mild viral infection with irregular problems. Chickenpox was reported in the U.S in the 1990s where more than four million individuals were impacted by the condition. Chickenpox can be severe in children especially young babies, adults, and adolescents. Individuals with a weak immune system have a high risk of contracting the infection. The Varicella virus which is mostly recognized as chickenpox is a virus that impacts children under the age of ten years (Vital et al., 2020). William Heberden was the first physician to illustrate how chickenpox is different from smallpox. Chickenpox disease can be transmitted through human contracts such as sneezing and coughing during cold and can also be spread through direct contact with blister fluids. Considerably, children with chickenpox are high contagious to other kids who have never been affected by the disease. This is because the varicella Zoster virus is highly contagious. Additionally, the varicella-zoster which is an exclusively human virus is responsible for causing herpes zoster which is known as shingles. Shingles disease has been linked to chickenpox. It is known that individuals that have had shingles can cause a  child to get chickenpox. Relatively, once a child gets chickenpox, they develop an immune response that prevents them from getting the disease twice.

Despite the fact that the condition makes the affected individuals uncomfortable most of the patients tend to recover within two weeks. Before the vaccination was established chickenpox had become a life-threatening disease within the United States. However, over the past few years, the epidemic incidence of the disease has reduced greatly due to increased vaccination against chickenpox.

Population, Causes, Signs and Symptoms

Chickenpox is self-timing and mild but has adverse outcomes that are common in pregnant women, adolescents, and adults. The varicella-zoster is the contributing agent for chickenpox. The virus gets into the body where it replicates between twenty and twenty-one days before it manifests itself. After infection, the infected person develops an itchy blister among other symptoms such as fever, headache, loss of appetite, and a general feeling of tiredness and unwellness (Gershon and Gershon, 2013). New bumps begin and continue to develop for some days. Considerably, an individual can have all the three stages of rash (blisters, bumps, and scabbed lesions) at the same time. The virus can be spread to another individual within 48 hours once the rash appears and the blisters make the virus remain contagious until all the blisters are broken and have a crusted cover. The rashes tend to multiply to other body parts depending on the severity of the infection and vary according to the patient’s age.

Mode of transmission

Chickenpox has been considered highly contagious since it can be transmitted to another individual through direct contact with an infected person. This disease can also be transmitted through situations such as coughing and sneezing just like flu. Relatively, chickenpox can be transmitted indirectly through items contaminated with discharges from mucous and membranes of infected individuals. When healthy individuals tend to encounter vesicle fluids that contain varicella virus by any possible means they are likely to have the infection.

Discoveries

One of the major discoveries is that chickenpox is a viral infection which is caused by a certain virus called virus Varicella Zoster. The common name for chickenpox is varicella simplex. The disease spreads easily from each other and the patient begins to have shingles. The chickenpox rashes develop about ten to 21 days after one gets into contact with an individual having the same disease. In healthy children, the infection is self-limiting and mild. Varicella is common among children but anyone is vulnerable to contracting it. Varicella can be transferred through touching the blisters and being in contact with bodily fluid.

Medical Intervention

Chicken Pox vaccine also recognized as Varicella vaccine has been used to protect individuals against chickenpox. Considerably, chickenpox can be serious and life-threatening especially among adults and infants that have weak immune systems. The chickenpox vaccine has been recommended for children below the age of thirteen years and those who have not contracted chickenpoxVarela, F. H., (Pinto and Scotta, 2019). Getting vaccinated has been the best way of preventing chickenpox to prevent life-threatening complications for individuals with a low immune system.

Organ systems affected by the disease

The liver, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract are prone to disease due to the weakness of the immune system. The disease affects the lymphatic system which enables the movement of immune cells. The lymphatic system had lymphocytes that identify any viruses, bacteria, and other foreign substances in the body. Chickenpox infection is linked with effects on the skin, liver, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract. After the varicellar virus gets into the body, it settles down in the nerve cells influencing their normal functioning. An infection that affects the internal organs such as the liver and lungs can result in liver inflammation, and pneumonia.

Diagnostic methods and criteria

Chickenpox is diagnoses based on the presence of a rash. However, if there is any doubt concerning the rashes the disease is confirmed using laboratory tests. The most effective method for guarantee6ing a diagnosis for Varicella is the use of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) which detects the virus in the skin. The best solution recommended by the WHO in preventing chickenpox is vaccination. However, there exist other methods employed. Physicians utilize antihistamines to relieve itching and skin infection. The use of a cool bath and calamine lotion are effective remedies to ease the rashes.

Prognosis

The intensity of exposure and age are essential determinants of chickenpox severity. Red spots and an itchy rash all over the body in clusters on limbs, face, chest, and stomach. Chickenpox is more severe in adults than in children. Serious complications from chickenpox include skin bacterial infection, infection of the lungs, and brain. After the chickenpox rashes are gone most people don’t experience the symptoms again since they become immune after the first infection.

Value of the project

This project has been essential in applying pathophysiology research methods and research methods while research on chickenpox disease. Through the project, I have understood the chickenpox disease process, the symptoms, and treatment of the disease. The project has offers an understanding of the key elements linked to the condition of chickenpox disease. I have also studied the determinants, distribution, and events related to the disease. For instance, vaccination has been considered as disease control.

Through the project, I have discovered that the control of infections such as communicable disease demands discovering and eliminating the threat. Control efforts comprise of prevention and reducing the seriousness of the illness as measured by the length of illness, severity, short and long-term effects as well as the cost of treatment.

References

Breuer, J., & Fifer, H. (2011). Chickenpox. BMJ clinical evidence, 2011, 0912.

Gershon, A. A., & Gershon, M. D. (2013). Pathogenesis and current approaches to control of varicella-zoster virus infections. Clinical microbiology reviews, 26(4), 728–743. https://doi.org/10.1128/CMR.00052-13

Vital, L., Vieira, L., Nunes, B., Raposo, F., Veludo, V., & Pinho, A. (2020). Pediatric Pyomyositis: A Rare but Important Complication of Varicella. Case reports in orthopedics, 2020, 3896264.

Varela, F. H., Pinto, L. A., & Scotta, M. C. (2019). Global impact of varicella vaccination programs. Human vaccines & immunotherapeutic, 15(3), 645-657. DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2018.1546525