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Clark County Public Health officials (WA) issued a health alert on Thursday for a school in the city of Battle Ground due to an outbreak of chicken pox.
Image / David Benbennick
The affected school, Daybreak Primary School, was affected by five cases of chicken pox. The disease began to appear on October 13th. The last known possible exposure at Daybreak Elementary School was on October 17th.
Health officials are demanding the exclusion of students and Daybreak Elementary School staff who can not provide any documented evidence of their immunity. The exclusion will begin Monday, October 22 and will continue until Monday, November 12. If other cases of chickenpox are identified, the exclusion may be extended.
Local media reports that 38 unvaccinated students are unlikely to be in school during this period.
In accordance with the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the documented evidence of varicella immunity is defined as follows:
• Anyone born in the United States before 1980.
• Results of serological tests showing immunity to chicken pox.
• Documented history of chickenpox diagnosed at the provider.
• Documentation indicating that the student or staff received at least one dose of varicella vaccine. The previous self-reported chickenpox does not meet the requirements of proof of immunity. Once proof of immunity is provided to the school, excluded students and staff can be readmitted.
Chickenpox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), a member of the family of herpes. This virus causes two distinct diseases; chickenpox (chicken pox) is the main infection and later, when the VSV reactivates, herpes zoster (shingles).
Chickenpox is highly contagious and is transmitted by coughing and sneezing, by direct contact and aerosolization of the virus from skin lesions. You can also get it by contact with the vesicle secretions from shingles.
The disease is characterized by fever and a reddish and irritated rash that usually starts on the abdomen, back or face, and then spreads to almost all parts of the body. The eruption begins with small red bumps that manifest as pimples or insect bites. They then develop into thin-walled vesicles that are filled with clear liquid that collapse on perforation. The blisters then break, cover each other with crusts and leave brown and dry crusts.
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Varicella lesions may be present at several stages of maturity and are more abundant on coated skin than exposed. Lesions may also be in the mouth, upper respiratory tract and genitals.
Chickenpox is contagious 1 to 2 days before the onset of rash and continues until all lesions are crusted (usually about 5 days).
This disease is more serious in the adult than in the child. The complications of chickenpox are rare but include pneumonia, encephalitis and secondary bacterial infections.
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Infection with this virus usually confers lifetime immunity, although new attacks have been documented in immunocompromised individuals. The viral infection remains latent and the disease may reappear years later as shingles.
To prevent this disease in children, the use of a vaccine was authorized in 1995. Doctors recommend that children receive chickenpox vaccine at 12 to 15 months of age and then a booster at the age of 4 to 6 years old. The vaccine is effective in preventing mild infections in up to 85% of children and severe forms in up to 95% of children. Some children who get vaccinated will still have chickenpox, although their symptoms are much less severe.
Some people should not be vaccinated against chickenpox; especially pregnant women. They must wait for the day of delivery or receive their vaccine, or women should not become pregnant until 1 to 3 months after vaccination.
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For children over 13 years of age and adults who have never had chickenpox, the vaccine should be given in two doses spaced at least 28 days apart.
In addition, people whose immune system is weakened due to illness (HIV / AIDS) or treatment (cancer treatment or steroids) should consult their physician before getting vaccinated.
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