U.S. data underscore benefits of chickenpox vaccination
- November 19, 2023
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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U.S. data underscore benefits of chickenpox vaccination
Subject: Science and Tech
Section: Health
Context:
- The U.K. government announced that the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) had recommended a vaccine against chickenpox (varicella) should be added to routine childhood immunisation programme.
- JCVI’s recommendation comes nearly three decades after the U.S. introduced it in 1996, and a body of evidence emphasising the benefits of varicella vaccination.
About Varicella Zoster Virus:
- Varicella-zoster is a herpes virus that causes chickenpox, a common childhood illness.
- It is an exclusively human virus that belongs to the α-herpesvirus family.
- It is present worldwide and is highly infectious.
- Primary infection of this virus leads to acute varicella or “chickenpox”.
- The infections can progress to the central nervous system involvement and severe complications.
Key Facts about Chickenpox:
- Highly Contagious: Chickenpox is an extremely contagious disease.
- Symptoms: Common symptoms include an itchy, blister-like rash, among others.
- Rash Progression: The rash typically begins on the chest, back, and face before spreading to cover the entire body.
- Transmission: Chickenpox is transmitted through direct contact with an infected individual, inhaling air containing virus particles from a sneeze or cough of an infected person, or contact with fluids from an infected child’s eyes, nose, or mouth.
- Incubation Period: The incubation period for chickenpox ranges from 10 to 21 days.
- Seriousness: Chickenpox can be particularly severe in certain populations, including pregnant women, babies, adolescents, adults, and individuals with weakened immune systems (lowered ability to combat infections).