Chickenpox

For the episode of South Park by that name, see Chickenpox.

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Chicken pox, also spelled chickenpox, is a common childhood disease. According to the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons http://www.aapsonline.org:

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:"Prior to the development of the varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, the disease was widely recognized to be one of the most benign illnesses. The Encyclopedia of Medicine of the American Medical Association stated in 1989 that chickenpox is a 'common and mild infectious disease of childhood' and that 'all healthy children should be exposed to chickenpox ? at an age at which it is no more than an inconvenience.' Likewise, the American Academy of Pediatrics declared in a 1996 brochure that 'ost children who are otherwise healthy and get chickenpox won't have any complications from the disease.'" http://www.aapsonline.org/stateis/njvac.htm and:

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:The risk of contracting and dying from chickenpox was little more than the risk of being struck and killed by lightning (about 89 cases per year in the U.S)." (out of a population of 295,734,134 in 2005 http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/ipc/idbrank.pl) "Chickenpox mortality was among the lowest of all known diseases." http://www.aapsonline.org/stateis/njvac.htm

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It is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), also known as human herpes virus 3 (HHV-3), one of the eight herpes viruses known to affect humans. It is characterized by a fever followed by itchy raw pox or open sores.

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The disease is rarely fatal: if it does cause death, it is usually from varicella pneumonia, which occurs more frequently in pregnant women. In the US, 55% of chicken pox deaths were in the over-20 age group. Chicken pox has a two week incubation period and is highly contagious by air transmission two days before symptoms appear. Therefore chicken pox spreads quickly through schools and other places of close contact. Once someone has been infected with the disease, they usually develop an immunity and cannot get it again. As the disease is more severe if contracted by an adult, parents have been known to ensure that their children became infected before adulthood. Aspirin shouldn't be used during a chickenpox infection because it can increase the incidence of a potentially deadly condition called Reye's syndrome.

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Doctors advise that pregnant women who come into contact with chickenpox should contact their doctor immediately as the virus can cause serious problems for the fetus.

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Later in life, virus remaining in the nerves can develop into the painful disease, shingles, particularly in people with compromised immune systems, such as the elderly, and perhaps even sunburn. A chicken pox vaccine is now available, and is now required in some countries for children to be admitted into elementary school. In addition, effective medications (e.g., acyclovir) are available to treat chicken pox in healthy and immunocompromised persons.

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South Park: South Park is a comedy animated series created by Matt Stone and Trey Parker. Distributed by and airing on Comedy Central since 1997, it follows the surreal adventures of four young boys who live in the small town of South Park, Colorado. South Park satirizes many aspects of American culture and cur...

Chickenpox: For the episode of South Park by that name, see Chickenpox....

American Medical Association: The American Medical Association (AMA) is the largest association of medical doctors in the United States. Its purpose is to advance the interests of physicians, to promote public health, to lobby for medical legislation, and to raise money for medical education. The AMA also publishes the Journal o...