Shingles Brie Briggs April 23 2013 Trasmission Shingles

Shingles Brie Briggs April 23, 2013

Trasmission � Shingles can not be passed from one person to another person. However, the virus that causes shingles, the Varicella Zoster virus, can be spread from a person with active shingles to a person who has never had chicken pox � In this case, the person might develop chickenpox , but never develop shingles � The virus is spread through direct contact with a fluid from the rash blisters, not through sneezing, coughing, or casual contact. � A person with shingles virus can only spread shingles when they are in the blister-phase

Symtoms � Signs and symptoms usually only affect a small section of one side of your body. These may include… a) Pain, burn, itching b) A red rash that begins after a few days after the pain c) Fluid-filling blisters that break open and crust over � It’s a good idea to go see a doctor if… a) The pain and rash occur near the eye. If left untreated, this infection can lead to permanent eye damage b) You’re 65 or older, which increases your risks of complications c) You or someone in your family has a weakened immune system d) The rash is widespread and painful

Prevalence and prevention � 4 cases per every 1000 people annually � They’re two vaccines that may help prevent shingles. a) Chickenpox vaccine- this vaccine has become a routine childhood vaccine and is also recommended for adults who have never had chickenpox. This vaccine does not guarantee that you won’t get shingles or chickenpox, but it can reduce the chances and lower the severity of the disease. b) Shingles vaccine- approved for adults over age 50. Like chickenpox vaccine, this does not guarantee that you won’t get the disease. The shingles vaccine is only used as a prevention and is not used as a cure for people who have the disease.

Treatment � There is no cure for shingles, but prompt treatment with prescription antiviral drugs can speed healing and reduce your risk of complications. These medications include. . a) Acyclovir (Zovirax) b) Valacyclovir (Valtrex) c) Famciclovir (Farnvir) � Shingles can cause severe pain, so your doctor may prescribe. . a) Tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline b) Anticonvusants, such as Gabapentin (Neurontin) c) Numbing agents, such as Lidocaine, delivered by a cream, gel, spray, or skin patch.

Global, econmic, and social impact �Personal- can cause loss of work and doctor visits, and hospitalization if severe enough �Economic- medications may cost money and if hospitalized the money can get very expensive �Global- since chicken pox causes shingles and there is a vaccine for chicken pox it is not likely to have a outbreak of this disease

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