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Vaccinations Aren't Just for Kids
Posted 16 Sep 2011 by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, Sept. 16 – Public health experts often focus immunization awareness efforts toward protecting children, and with good reason: Facing a potentially bewildering schedule of vaccinations for their young ones, parents usually need all the help they can get. But vaccinations aren't just kid stuff. Medical science is creating an increasing number of immunizations targeted at adults, to help them avoid life-threatening diseases in middle-age and opportunistic infections when they're older. "Immunization is a life-long issue that we need to pay a lot of attention to," said Dr. Georges C. Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. Some adult vaccinations are very well-known, like the annual shot that aims to prevent the spread of influenza. "You need an influenza shot every year," Benjamin said. "Part of that is because the virus changes every year, ... Read more
Related support groups: Pneumonia, BCG, Meningitis, Tetanus, Yellow Fever Vaccine, Zostavax, Gardasil, Tetanus Toxoid, Human Papilloma Virus, Cervical Cancer, FluLaval, Pneumovax 23, Tuberculosis -- Prophylaxis, Varicella-Zoster, Measles
Health Tip: Using an Antiviral for Chickenpox
Posted 19 Aug 2011 by Drugs.com
-- Chickenpox is a viral infection that causes itchy, fluid-filled skin blisters. Usually affecting children, the infection typically runs its course and clears up without treatment. Adults and teens, however, may be at risk of more severe symptoms and may benefit from an antiviral medication, the U.S. National Library of Medicine says. An antiviral is most beneficial if begun during the first 24 hours of the skin rash. The agency mentions these additional facts about use of an antiviral medication in a person with chickenpox: Healthy children who don't have severe symptoms probably don't need an antiviral medication. Adolescents who take regular aspirin may need an antiviral. People with skin or lung conditions, or those who have recently taken a steroidal medication, may benefit from an antiviral. People who have been exposed to chickenpox – but haven't contracted the infection – ... Read more
Related support groups: Varicella-Zoster
Shot Protects Against Chickenpox After Exposure
Posted 26 Jan 2010 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, Jan. 26 – There is good news for people who have never had chickenpox or received the vaccine but are exposed to the virus: vaccination within five days of exposure can significantly reduce the risk of illness, or at least make it less severe, Spanish researchers say. The study, published in the January issue of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, found that out of 67 people who received the varicella zoster vaccine within five days of exposure to chickenpox, only 22 got sick. That's about 62 percent fewer than would be expected to become ill with the disease. Based on past studies, 58 out of the 67 would be estimated to develop chickenpox. The patients who did get chickenpox developed mild to moderate cases, suggesting that the vaccine is 79 percent effective in preventing moderate to severe disease. It didn't matter if those vaccinated were children or adults: the ... Read more
Related support groups: Varicella-Zoster, Varicella Virus Vaccine, Varivax
Chicken Pox Shot Protects Against Shingles, Too
Posted 4 Dec 2009 by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, Dec. 4 – Children who are vaccinated against chicken pox may also have increased protection against shingles, new findings suggest. U.S. researchers looked at the health records of 172,163 children in southern California who were vaccinated with the varicella (chicken pox) vaccine between 2002 and 2008. Over an average of 2.5 years after receiving the chicken pox vaccine, only 122 cases of shingles (herpes zoster) occurred among the children, an estimated incidence of one case per 3,700 children per year. That rate is lower than what would be expected in unvaccinated children, according to the researchers. "The message to parents and pediatricians is: vaccinating your child against the chicken pox is also a good way to reduce their chances of getting herpes zoster," study lead author HungFu Tseng, a research scientist and epidemiologist at the Kaiser Permanente Department of ... Read more
Related support groups: Herpes Zoster, Varicella-Zoster, Varicella Virus Vaccine, Varivax, Varicella-Zoster -- Prophylaxis
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Varicella-Zoster -- Prophylaxis, Herpes Zoster
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Valtrex, acyclovir, Zovirax, valacyclovir, GamaSTAN S/D, Biogam, BayGam, Foscavir, immune globulin intramuscular, varicella zoster immune globulin, foscarnet