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Varicella-Zoster News
Related terms: Chickenpox
What to Do if Your Child Has Chickenpox
Posted 8 Jan 2018 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, Jan. 8, 2017 – Have a child with chickenpox? Don't despair. There are a number of things you can do to care for a child with this disease. "For most healthy children, chickenpox clears on its own without treatment," said Dr. Sheila Fallon Friedlander, a professor of pediatrics and dermatology at the University of California, San Diego. However, chickenpox is highly contagious. That makes ...
There's a New Shingles Vaccine, Shingrix, -- Is It for You?
Posted 26 Oct 2017 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, Oct. 26, 2017 – On the heels of approval of a better vaccine for the painful condition shingles, adults over 50 should plan to roll up their sleeves – again. The new vaccine, Shingrix, will likely be recommended even for those already inoculated with an older vaccine. An advisory panel of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended Wednesday that all adults 50 and ...
Health Tip: Identifying Chicken Pox
Posted 22 Sep 2017 by Drugs.com
-- While chicken pox is not as common as it used to be, youngsters and unvaccinated adults are still at risk. The highly contagious disease is caused by the varicella zoster virus. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that the first dose of the chicken pox vaccine be given at 12-15 months of age, and a second dose at 4-6 years of age. The academy says typical symptoms of chickenpox ...
Health Tip: One of Three Adults Gets Shingles
Posted 8 Aug 2017 by Drugs.com
-- Adults 60 and older should be vaccinated for shingles, a very painful rash that's triggered by the same virus that causes chickenpox, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. If you had chickenpox when you were younger, the vacicella-zoster virus may be lying inactive inside you and could trigger a nasty case of shingles. Symptoms of shingles include a blistery rash, itching, ...
Is Shingles Tied to Heart, Stroke Risk?
Posted 4 Jul 2017 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, July 4, 2017 – Shingles may be tied to an increased risk for heart disease, a new study suggests. About one-third of Americans will develop shingles in their lifetime. The painful skin rash can occur in anyone who's had chickenpox, and the risk increases with age. The new study looked at 2003-2013 medical records for more than 23,000 people in South Korea who had shingles. The ...
Zika-Bearing Mosquitoes More Widespread in U.S. Than Expected
Posted 20 Jun 2017 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, June 20, 2017 – The latest buzz from federal health officials is that mosquitoes that can spread Zika, dengue and chikungunya viruses are in more counties in the southern United States than previously thought. After a Zika outbreak in Florida last summer, researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expanded mosquito-collection measures across the South. The new ...
Shingles Vaccine Cuts Chronic Pain, Hospitalizations
Posted 17 Mar 2017 by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, March 17, 2017 – Vaccination greatly reduces the risk of serious complications from shingles, a new study finds. Shingles occurs when the same virus that causes chickenpox is reactivated later in life. Nearly one-third of people in the United States will develop shingles. The risk increases with age, researchers said. The new study showed the vaccine was 74 percent effective in ...
Got an Itch? Use These Tips for Relief -- and Don't Scratch
Posted 31 Jan 2017 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, Jan. 31, 2017 – Itchy skin is a common problem, but there are several ways to find relief, a dermatologist says. "There are many reasons for itchy skin," Dr. Hassan Galadari said in an American Academy of Dermatology news release. "It could be the result of a skin condition, such as eczema, shingles, hives or psoriasis, or it could be a sign of a contagious disease, like scabies or ...
Experimental Shingles Vaccine Looks Quite Effective: Study
Posted 15 Sep 2016 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 14, 2016 – An experimental vaccine against shingles may offer lasting protection for most older adults who receive it, a new clinical trial found. Shingles is a painful rash that's triggered by a reactivation of the virus that causes chickenpox. About one-third of Americans develop the disease at some point, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). ...
Chickenpox Cases Down 85 Percent Since 2-Dose Vaccine Started: CDC
Posted 1 Sep 2016 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, Sept. 1, 2016 – Chickenpox – which is caused by the varicella-zoster virus – has continued declining in the United States since 2006, when doctors began routinely recommending a second dose of chickenpox (varicella) vaccine, U.S. health officials said Thursday. States reporting vaccination data noted an 85 percent drop in the highly contagious disease between 2005-2006 and 2013-2014, ...
Experimental Drug for Rheumatoid Arthritis Shows Promise
Posted 31 Mar 2016 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, March 31, 2016 – An experimental drug to treat rheumatoid arthritis showed promise in a new six-month trial. Baricitinib substantially reduced symptoms and improved daily physical functioning among people who failed other treatments for the autoimmune disease, researchers found. "If you have active disease and you've failed existing treatment options, you should have hope," said lead ...
Two-Dose Chickenpox Shot Gets the Job Done, Study Shows
Posted 14 Mar 2016 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, March 14, 2016 – Among school children, two doses of the chickenpox vaccine is better than one, a new study finds. Giving the first dose at age 1 and the second dose at ages 4 to 6 is nearly 100 percent effective in preventing the once common childhood disease, researchers have found. "A second dose of varicella [chickenpox] vaccine provides school-aged children with better protection ...
Health Tip: Chickenpox Can Be Dangerous
Posted 5 Feb 2016 by Drugs.com
-- Chickenpox is notoriously contagious, and for some people it can be very dangerous. Women who are pregnant, young children, the elderly and people with a weakened immune system are at greatest risk of complications. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mentions these potential complications of chickenpox: Pneumonia, blood poisoning or dehydration. Brain inflammation or ...
Chickenpox, Shingles Vaccines Linked to Rare Eye Inflammation
Posted 25 Jan 2016 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, Jan. 25, 2016 – The vaccine for chickenpox and shingles has been linked to inflammation of the eye's cornea, but the number of such cases is small, a new study says. "Keratitis, or inflammation of the clear layer on the front of the eye, is a vision issue that can cause serious complications or even permanent damage to your vision if left untreated," Dr. Frederick Fraunfelder, chair of ...
Health Tip: Coping With Chickenpox
Posted 24 Aug 2015 by Drugs.com
-- What can you do if you get chickenpox – besides scratch? The American Academy of Family Physicians suggests: Keep the room cool, as heat can make itchy skin worse. Put a cool, damp compress on the itchiest spots. Keep fingernails trimmed short so you don't break the skin if you do scratch. Soak in a lukewarm oatmeal bath. Apply calamine lotion.
Further Information
Related Condition Support Groups
Varicella-Zoster - Prophylaxis, Herpes Zoster
Related Drug Support Groups
Valtrex, acyclovir, valacyclovir, Zovirax, foscarnet, varicella zoster immune globulin, immune globulin intramuscular, Foscavir, BayGam, GamaSTAN S / D, Biogam, Varizig
