Chicken Pox- Symptoms

Chicken Pox- Symptoms

Chicken pox is a disease that affects mainly children. It is contagious and can be spread even through air. The main way of chicken pox transmission is by direct contact with the person infected by chicken pox. Like many other disease, chicken pox also has symptoms. These signs will appear about three weeks after infection with the virus that causes chicken pox. The reason for this is because the chicken pox virus has an incubation period. The proper medical term fro chicken pox is actually varicella, because the name of the virus that causes this children' s disease is called varicella zoster.
As I have said earlier, chicken pox has few symptoms. Some of them may not even be noticeable. The first signs of chicken pox set off very sudden and there are cases when the chicken pox patient will actually have no symptoms at all. A mild fever, some weakness and tiredness are the first chicken pox symptoms that you will feel, after the incubation period is over. Soon after this signs of chicken pox, a rash will start to appear on your skin. At first only some areas of your body will be affected by these tiny, red spots. The main target of chicken pox rash are at first the chest and back. Then, just in a couple of hours it will spread all over your body. Even places like the mouth and scalp will eventually be affected by chicken pox.
The next step that will happen in your child' s chicken pox case is that the rash will start to develop into blisters that are filled with fluid. Eventually, these chicken pox blisters will dry, form scabs and fall off. Children are more fortunate than adults when it come to chicken pox symptoms, as well as chicken pox complications caused by infection. If there is the case of infection in a child that suffers from chicken pox, rest assure that this will be a very mild case, with no side- effect. On the other hand, if an adult suffers from chicken pox, mainly because he/ she did not have this disease when being a child, things can get more complicated.
So, as you can see, chicken pox has few symptoms at the beginning of the disease. When the rash appears, and then the blisters, then things get more clear. However, you will not know if your child has been infected with chicken pox for more than two weeks, which is the incubation period of the chicken pox virus.

Chicken Pox- Symptoms

Chicken Pox- Symptoms

Chicken pox is a disease that affects mainly children. It is contagious and can be spread even through air. The main way of chicken pox transmission is by direct contact with the person infected by chicken pox. Like many other disease, chicken pox also has symptoms. These signs will appear about three weeks after infection with the virus that causes chicken pox. The reason for this is because the chicken pox virus has an incubation period. The proper medical term fro chicken pox is actually varicella, because the name of the virus that causes this children' s disease is called varicella zoster.

As I have said earlier, chicken pox has few symptoms. Some of them may not even be noticeable. The first signs of chicken pox set off very sudden and there are cases when the chicken pox patient will actually have no symptoms at all. A mild fever, some weakness and tiredness are the first chicken pox symptoms that you will feel, after the incubation period is over. Soon after this signs of chicken pox, a rash will start to appear on your skin. At first only some areas of your body will be affected by these tiny, red spots. The main target of chicken pox rash are at first the chest and back. Then, just in a couple of hours it will spread all over your body. Even places like the mouth and scalp will eventually be affected by chicken pox.

The next step that will happen in your child' s chicken pox case is that the rash will start to develop into blisters that are filled with fluid. Eventually, these chicken pox blisters will dry, form scabs and fall off. Children are more fortunate than adults when it come to chicken pox symptoms, as well as chicken pox complications caused by infection. If there is the case of infection in a child that suffers from chicken pox, rest assure that this will be a very mild case, with no side- effect. On the other hand, if an adult suffers from chicken pox, mainly because he/ she did not have this disease when being a child, things can get more complicated.

So, as you can see, chicken pox has few symptoms at the beginning of the disease. When the rash appears, and then the blisters, then things get more clear. However, you will not know if your child has been infected with chicken pox for more than two weeks, which is the incubation period of the chicken pox virus.

Leprosy Factoids

Leprosy Factoids

The disease leprosy has made the headlines this week due to the elevation of sainthood to Jozef De Veuster, also known as Father Damien, who worked with leprosy victims on the Hawaiian island of Molokai from 1873 till his death from leprosy in 1889.
To many Americans leprosy is a disease of the Old and New Testaments, however this disfiguring and potentially fatal disease is alive and well in many parts of the world.
Here are some facts about leprosy and its current state in the world and the United States:
1. Leprosy or Hansen's Disease, is a bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae (Mycobacterium is the same genus of the organism that causes tuberculosis).
2. It is not very contagious and is likely transmitted person to person via respiratory secretions during close and frequent contacts.
3. It has a relatively long incubation time ranging from 9 months to 20 years till symptoms appear.
4. An early sign of leprosy is typically a spot on the skin that may be slightly redder, darker, or lighter than the person's normal skin. The spot may lose feeling and hair. In some people, the only sign is numbness in a finger or toe. Untreated leprosy can cause some very serious problems with the skin and nerves. Leprosy bacteria attack the nerves in the hands and feet and cause them to become numb. It can also attack the nerves around the eye and damage to the internal lining of the nose.
5. The incidence is declining worldwide due to factors like economic development, BCG immunization and multidrug therapy.
6. The total number of cases reported in early 2009 was 213,036, down from 249,007 the year before.
7. The World Health Organization has targeted the disease for elimination

Measles - Causes-Symptoms and Treatment

Measles - Causes-Symptoms and Treatment

Definition: It is an acute, contagious viral disease, usually occurring in childhood and characterized by eruption of red spots on the skin, fever, and catarrhal symptoms.
Measles , also known as rubeola, is a potentially disastrous disease. It can be complicated by ear infections, pneumonia , encephalitis. The virus is spread easily through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes or by direct contact with infected nose or throat secretions.
It is a highly infectious viral disease characterized by a sore throat and a blotchy red rash that starts on the face and neck, and spreads to the rest of the body.Measles is also known as, five-day measles, or hard measles. A person who has had measles will never get the disease again.
Causes for Measles
Measles is caused by the measles virus i.e- Paramyxovirus. It is mostly seen in the winter and spring. The virus enters the body through the respiratory tract or the conjunctiva. Measles is endemic throughout the world.
Other main causes of measles includes:
• Personal contact is the main cause of measles because it is a contagious disease.
• Droplets from coughs and sneezes
• Immunodeficiency due to HIV/AIDS
• Malnutrition
• Vitamin A deficiency will lead to the condition of measles.

Symptoms of Measles
The symptoms of measles usually begin to develop about 7-11 days after the person first becomes infected.
List of symptoms of Measles:
• Runny nose.
• Sneezing.
• Red eyes.
• Red spots in mouth.
• Red spots inside cheeks.
• Koplik spots - small spots in the mouth.
• Mouth spots with white center and red ring.
• Skin rash.
• Light sensitivity.
• coughing , possibly with a barking cough.
• sore throat - the lymph nodes in the throat may swell.
• at first the spots are very small - a couple of millimetres - but they double in size quickly and begin to join together.
• the temperature, which may run as high as 40ºC, may stay that high for a couple of days. Then it disappears together with the rash, which may leave some brown spots.

Herbal Home remedies for Measles
Here are some Important Herbal and Home Remedies for the Measles:
Garlic Oil: Apply garlic oil to any infected areas to prevent infection.
Drink Saffron: Drink saffron and snake root tea to aid the healing process.
Lobelia: Take lobelia and yarrow for the fastest recovery from measles.
Orange Juice: Fresh Orange juice is very beneficial for the measles treatment.
Barley Water: Barley water should be taken daily to cure from measles.
Lemonade: Lemonade should be taken often.
Chamomile: It will not only helps reduce a fever but stimulates the immune system too. hild hydrated with fluids and give a soothing oatmeal baths to relieve itching.
Ginger Tea: It can be effective against a fever. It is most helpful for the child who tends to feel cold, especially in the hands and feet.
Shiitake Mushrooms: It has immure-stimulating properties. They may be eaten fresh, or taken in capsule form.