Chicken pox

[bbrandonsmom]

I think I posted in the wrong forum the first time so that can be removed. We have CP! naturally and I have no idea where we were exposed to it. Just looking at various things to look out for-like ds has pox now on his eyelids and around the eye. He's had them for 4 days now that I can tell, and keeps getting more. Other son hasn't broken out yet, but showing cold symptoms. Dh never had it-waiting to see if he gets it. Looking at stuff to put on the pox to help prevent scars if broken or scratched.

[bbrandonsmom]

I do have a question, as I can't seem to find any info on it. Info on second person transmission. Example, I had cp as a child, but since I'm home with the boys, I am essentially carrying the virus around if I go out right?
Dh has not had it, and is limiting contact, but has to go to different houses for work-so can he transmit the virus? Or could he have brought it home?
A friend of mine is a physical therapist, and her kids are vaxed, and doesn't care if they are exposed and get it, but she has elderly patients. We had a play date about 3 days prior to the first outbreak so would they have been exposed? Could she carry the virus to her patients or if we have another play date could she? I was wondering if she could have brought us the virus through contact with a shingles patient, but figured we'd have had an outbreak already if that was the case.

[MinorityView]

Elderly people would have already had CP and would only benefit from the immune system boost they would get from exposure. It is the lack of circulating CP which causes shingles outbreaks.

I'm not sure how easy it is to transmit CP just walking around with it. You and your husband can both use a hand sanitizer before leaving the house and try not to hug people.

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

I think I posted in the wrong forum the first time so that can be removed. We have CP! naturally and I have no idea where we were exposed to it. Just looking at various things to look out for-like ds has pox now on his eyelids and around the eye. He's had them for 4 days now that I can tell, and keeps getting more. Other son hasn't broken out yet, but showing cold symptoms. Dh never had it-waiting to see if he gets it. Looking at stuff to put on the pox to help prevent scars if broken or scratched.given that 70% of people who have immunity, don't know they have had chickenpox, it makes sense that chickenpox can spread from people who think they haven't got it :D

In terms of preventing scaring, there are various options with regards to that. First, zinc is important for skin healing, so scarring is primarily likely to happen in zinc deficient children. Obviously, vitaminD is important since it triggers cathelicidin to heal skin as well. vitamin A anc C are important.

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

I do have a question, as I can't seem to find any info on it. Info on second person transmission. Example, I had cp as a child, but since I'm home with the boys, I am essentially carrying the virus around if I go out right? This was discussed in this thread here:

http://beyondvaccination.com/showthread.php?1603-varicella-survival-on-surfaces


Dh has not had it, and is limiting contact, but has to go to different houses for work-so can he transmit the virus?Yes, but I wouldn't worry about it. He might have had it.

Here it is, from my filed database.

http://id.medscape.com/reuters/prof/2001/12/12.17/20011214clin008.html

[quote]Most Children With a Negative or Unknown Varicella History Are Immune.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Dec 14 - Contrary to widely held beliefs, most 10-year-old children with negative or unknown chickenpox histories are actually immune to varicella, according to a report by Canadian investigators.

Dr. Bernard Duval, from Laval University in Quebec, and colleagues assessed the age-specific incidence of varicella among 2227 fourth grade students. A subset of children with negative or unknown chickenpox histories were tested for anti-varicella antibodies.

The study was performed to determine the proportion of children that would need to be vaccinated in a catch-up program, the researchers state in the NOVEMBER issue of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal

The reported cumulative incidence of chickenpox at 10 years of age was 92% the authors note. Furthermore, about half of the children developed chickenpox before entering kindergarten.

Of the childen with negative or unknown varicella histories 63% had antibodies against the virus. Children with an unknown history were significantly more likely than those with a negative history to harbor anti-varicella antibodies (p = 0.002). In addition, children whose history was obtained by self-administered questionnaire rather than by a study nurse were more likely to demonstrate such antibodies (p = 0.023).

If vaccination was based on the absence of a positive history of varicella, 8.4% of 10-year old children would require vaccination, the researchers note. However, the current findings indicate that nearly two thirds of children without a positive history are actually immune.

Prevaccination testing could identify children who are immune, but such testing could be difficult to implement and might reduce vaccine coverage. Follow-up telephone interview with parents who report negative or unknown histories for their children may help identify children who are actually immune.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11734718&dopt=Abstract

Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2001 Nov;20(11):1087-8.


Related Articles, (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Display&dopt=pubmed_pubmed&from_uid=11734718&tool=ExternalSearch) Links (javascript:PopUpMenu2_Set(Menu11734718);)


Comment in:
· Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2003 Jul;22(7):672. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=12867846)

Most ten-year-old children with negative or unknown histories of chickenpox are immune.

Boulianne N, Duval B, De Serres G, Deceuninck G, Masse R, Couillard M.

Institut National de Sante Publique du Quebec, Quebec, Canada. nicole.boulianne@ssss.gouv.qc.ca (nicole.boulianne@ssss.gouv.qc.ca)

To evaluate the proportion of children to vaccinate against varicella in a catch-up program targeting 9- to 10-year-old children, a study was conducted among children age 10 years to assess the age-specific incidence of varicella and document the immunity against varicella in those with negative or unknown chickenpox history. Of the latter 62% were seropositive for varicella.

PMID: 11734718 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]



Or could he have brought it home?Yes, he could have.



A friend of mine is a physical therapist, and her kids are vaxed, and doesn't care if they are exposed and get it, but she has elderly patients. We had a play date about 3 days prior to the first outbreak so would they have been exposed? Could she carry the virus to her patients or if we have another play date could she? I was wondering if she could have brought us the virus through contact with a shingles patient, but figured we'd have had an outbreak already if that was the case.

Who knows any of the answers of those questions? Anything said would be a guess.

[bbrandonsmom]

Would anyone know of a secondary rash that accompanies the pox? I'm trying to find info with no luck. Brandon developed an odd rash on both of his thighs that is radiating outwards. It's red, slightly raised. Doesn't hurt him. I thought maybe he scratched a poc and it spread, but both legs, same spot? Weird. I have pics I can email if interested.

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

No, but I'd dab it with saline solution and increase his vitamin C

[bbrandonsmom]

Ah, I didn't figure out what it was. By the next morning it was gone. I know I saw that rash another time on him, at least that's what my mind was telling me, I'm not going crazy.
I'm laying blame on an allergic reaction to popsicle ingredients that dh gave him. I have pics of every rash he's ever had, I just need to log back and take a look at them. All's well though, except for dh's complaining yet about his scabs. It's been a long month, but I'm very glad they caught it.

[bbrandonsmom]

Pneumonia-not dh thinks he has it. From what I've found, adults either show symptoms prior to breakout of rash, or 1-3 days after. I haven't found anything yet about having Varicella Pneumonia after the rash goes away. I would think dh would be sick as could be for the past few weeks, and he has not been, and of course prob won't go to the dr to find out if he does have it. If he does though, I'm sure to hear it about why didn't he take abx during the rash period. Oy yoy.

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

:previous: Sorry bbrandonsmom. Must have brain fog at 6.16 in the morning, becuase I'm not understanding you above

[bbrandonsmom]

Oh, dh thinks he now has pneumonia associated with adult chicken pox. Yet he has not been sick like having pneumonia and didn't go to the dr to see if he had it. Somehow, I don't think he would have gotten better if he did have it. From what I've read, if an adult contacted pneumonia during cp, they were very sick.

[MinorityView]

sounds like it might be a case of hypochondria to me...

Just kidding!