Varicella zoster virus: chickenpox and shingles
1School of Healthcare Science, Cardiff University, Cardiff.
Nursing Standard (Royal College of Nursing (Great Britain) : 1987)
|April 17, 2014
Summary
Varicella zoster virus causes chickenpox and shingles. While chickenpox is usually mild in children, adults and immunocompromised individuals face severe risks. Nurses play a key role in educating at-risk populations about varicella prevention.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Immunology
- Public Health
Background:
- Varicella zoster virus (VZV) causes varicella (chickenpox) and herpes zoster (shingles).
- Varicella is common in childhood but can be severe in adults, pregnant women, neonates, and immunocompromised individuals.
- VZV establishes latency in sensory ganglia post-infection, with potential for reactivation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the risks associated with VZV infections, particularly in adult and vulnerable populations.
- To emphasize the role of healthcare professionals, especially nurses, in VZV prevention education.
- To provide an overview of VZV epidemiology and the introduction of a shingles vaccine.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of VZV epidemiology and clinical manifestations.
- Discussion of VZV pathogenesis, including latency and reactivation.
- Information on current UK vaccination strategies for VZV.
Main Results:
- Adults with varicella are at higher risk of complications compared to children.
- Pregnant women, neonates, and immunocompromised individuals are particularly vulnerable to severe VZV disease.
- A herpes zoster vaccine was introduced in the UK for individuals aged 70-79 in September 2013.
Conclusions:
- Effective patient education regarding VZV risks and prevention is crucial, especially for at-risk groups.
- Nurses are vital in disseminating information about avoiding varicella.
- Vaccination strategies are evolving to address VZV-related morbidity.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Cytomegalovirus Disease
102
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease is caused by human cytomegalovirus, a double-stranded DNA virus of the Herpesviridae family. While primary CMV infection is often asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals, the virus can cause severe disease in neonates and immunocompromised patients. CMV is the most common cause of congenital viral infection in the United States, and a major pathogen in solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.CMV is transmitted via bodily fluids, sexual...
102
01:03Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer
5.2K
Rous Sarcoma virus or RSV was discovered by F. Peyton Rous in the year 1911 as a filterable transmissible agent that could cause tumors in chickens. He won a Nobel Prize for this discovery in 1966. His experiments clearly demonstrated that some cancers could be caused by infectious agents and led to the discovery of many more cancer-causing viruses in animals as well as humans.
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
5.2K
01:03Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer
5.0K
5.0K
00:57Viral Recombination
22.3K
Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment.
22.3K
01:28Viral Hepatitis I: Introduction
25
Viral hepatitis is an inflammatory condition of the liver caused by infection with hepatotropic viruses, most commonly hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. Despite variations in structure and transmission, all viruses mentioned infect hepatocytes and provoke immune responses that can hinder liver function. Additionally, some non-hepatotropic viruses can also lead to hepatic inflammation.Hepatitis A VirusHepatitis A virus (HAV) is transmitted through the fecal–oral route, typically by ingestion...
25
01:19Encephalitis l: Introduction
15
Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain parenchyma, most often due to infections or autoimmune processes. It presents with neuropsychiatric features such as fever, altered mental status, behavioral changes, cognitive dysfunction, seizures, focal deficits, and sometimes autonomic instability. In some cases, the meninges are also involved, resulting in meningoencephalitis.Infectious CausesInfectious encephalitis is most commonly viral but can also result from bacterial, fungal, or parasitic...
15