Recently, a social phenomenon known as a "pox party" has started to gain traction in the general public in the U.S. Similar ideas were associated with other diseases, e.g. measles or smallpox, but are now discouraged by doctors and health services due to the risk of serious injury or death from acquiring the disease. A "pox party" is a party held by parents for the purpose of infecting their children with childhood diseases, including chickenpox. What logic drives these "pox parties?" The reasoning behind such parties is that party guests exposed to the varicella virus will contract the disease and develop strong and persistent immunity at an early age, before getting really sick later, particularly from chickenpox or rubella. This is, of course, irrational and lunatic.
There are reports that some parents, not living nearby to a set of neighbors holding a "pox party," in trying to avoid giving their kids the chickenpox vaccine, were paying people to send them lollipops licked by kids infected with chickenpox. A Nashville, TN TV station reported a story about a woman selling lollipops licked by her children, who were infected with chickenpox. People would spend $50 to buy these lollipops, and they would be mailed the infected lollipops, infected with VZV and bacteria. In effect, these rogue parents had created a new vector for the chickenpox virus. Mailing these infected lollipops is illegal since it violates federal law governing use of the U.S. Postal Service to transmit infectious substances. Frighteningly, what many people think is a "trivial" illness in fact exposes them to some serious organisms including MRSA and flesh-eating strep, in addition to the Varicella virus.
The vaccine is recommended for all children under 13 and for everyone 13 or older who has never had chickenpox. Two doses are always recommended. Normally, a first dose is administered at 12 to 15 months and a second dose at age 4-6 years. For people older than 13 the two doses are administered 4 to 8 weeks apart.
The vaccine is recommended for all children under 13 and for everyone 13 or older who has never had chickenpox. Two doses are always recommended. Normally, a first dose is administered at 12 to 15 months and a second dose at age 4-6 years. For people older than 13 the two doses are administered 4 to 8 weeks apart.
Frequently, this initial episode of chickenpox occurs in childhood. Additionally, however, a common late complication of chickenpox is shingles, caused by reactivation of the Varicella Zoster virus, sometimes occurring decades after the initial episode of chickenpox. Finally, in a small fraction of shingles cases, post-herpetic neuralgia can develop, mainly in the elderly, which is extremely painful and very troublesome to handle.
This much is known about how to contain chickenpox, using the chickenpox vaccine. Varivax is a tried and proven vaccine, and given routinely and effectively every year to millions of children and adults. There's additionally a final reason for kids to get the chickenpox vaccine: prevent shingles. The chickenpox virus is a herpes virus that stays in the body for life. And, when VZV gets reactivated, a person gets shingles, and possibly post-herpetic neuralgia as a complication. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that childhood chickenpox vaccination prevents adult shingles.
Varicella zoster virus is nothing to toy with. Not only can permanent scarring occur, but also pneumonia, encephalitis, possible brain damage and later, shingles may develop. What responsible parent would want to inflict this potential harm to their child?
Varicella zoster virus is nothing to toy with. Not only can permanent scarring occur, but also pneumonia, encephalitis, possible brain damage and later, shingles may develop. What responsible parent would want to inflict this potential harm to their child?
There are reports that some parents, not living nearby to a set of neighbors holding a "pox party," in trying to avoid giving their kids the chickenpox vaccine, were paying people to send them lollipops licked by kids infected with chickenpox. A Nashville, TN TV station reported a story about a woman selling lollipops licked by her children, who were infected with chickenpox. People would spend $50 to buy these lollipops, and they would be mailed them, infected with VZV and bacteria. In effect, these rogue parents had created a new vector for the chickenpox virus. Mailing these infected lollipops is illegal since it violates federal law governing use of the U.S. Postal Service to transmit infectious substances. Frighteningly, what many people think is a "trivial" illness in fact exposes them to some serious organisms including MRSA and flesh-eating strep, in addition to the Varicella virus.
The Internet is intensifying this irrational phenomenon. Some Facebook pages are advertising "Find a Pox Party Near You." Parents can join a Facebook group and can either link up with those holding a "pox party" or arrange to purchase a chickenpox-infected lollipop.
The only possible reason to attend a "pox party" or purchase a chickenpox lollipop is a belief that all government-sanctioned vaccines are a plot to conduct some evil purpose. People who believe in these alternatives are either extremely paranoid about government intentions or just plain irrational. The title refers to 1348 AD, the year the Black Death arrived in Europe.
We live in a golden age of mankind, where the scourge of varicella Zoster virus is finally being eradicated. This virus has be-deviled mankind for hundreds of thousands of years. To stray away from a brilliant advance in chickenpox treatment is just plain wrong-headed and counter-productive. Worse, parents who participate in a "pox party" are potentially subjecting their children to serious medical harm.
There are reports that some parents, not living nearby to a set of neighbors holding a "pox party," in trying to avoid giving their kids the chickenpox vaccine, were paying people to send them lollipops licked by kids infected with chickenpox. A Nashville, TN TV station reported a story about a woman selling lollipops licked by her children, who were infected with chickenpox. People would spend $50 to buy these lollipops, and they would be mailed the infected lollipops, infected with VZV and bacteria. In effect, these rogue parents had created a new vector for the chickenpox virus. Mailing these infected lollipops is illegal since it violates federal law governing use of the U.S. Postal Service to transmit infectious substances. Frighteningly, what many people think is a "trivial" illness in fact exposes them to some serious organisms including MRSA and flesh-eating strep, in addition to the Varicella virus.
The vaccine is recommended for all children under 13 and for everyone 13 or older who has never had chickenpox. Two doses are always recommended. Normally, a first dose is administered at 12 to 15 months and a second dose at age 4-6 years. For people older than 13 the two doses are administered 4 to 8 weeks apart.
The vaccine is recommended for all children under 13 and for everyone 13 or older who has never had chickenpox. Two doses are always recommended. Normally, a first dose is administered at 12 to 15 months and a second dose at age 4-6 years. For people older than 13 the two doses are administered 4 to 8 weeks apart.
Frequently, this initial episode of chickenpox occurs in childhood. Additionally, however, a common late complication of chickenpox is shingles, caused by reactivation of the Varicella Zoster virus, sometimes occurring decades after the initial episode of chickenpox. Finally, in a small fraction of shingles cases, post-herpetic neuralgia can develop, mainly in the elderly, which is extremely painful and very troublesome to handle.
This much is known about how to contain chickenpox, using the chickenpox vaccine. Varivax is a tried and proven vaccine, and given routinely and effectively every year to millions of children and adults. There's additionally a final reason for kids to get the chickenpox vaccine: prevent shingles. The chickenpox virus is a herpes virus that stays in the body for life. And, when VZV gets reactivated, a person gets shingles, and possibly post-herpetic neuralgia as a complication. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that childhood chickenpox vaccination prevents adult shingles.
Varicella zoster virus is nothing to toy with. Not only can permanent scarring occur, but also pneumonia, encephalitis, possible brain damage and later, shingles may develop. What responsible parent would want to inflict this potential harm to their child?
Varicella zoster virus is nothing to toy with. Not only can permanent scarring occur, but also pneumonia, encephalitis, possible brain damage and later, shingles may develop. What responsible parent would want to inflict this potential harm to their child?
There are reports that some parents, not living nearby to a set of neighbors holding a "pox party," in trying to avoid giving their kids the chickenpox vaccine, were paying people to send them lollipops licked by kids infected with chickenpox. A Nashville, TN TV station reported a story about a woman selling lollipops licked by her children, who were infected with chickenpox. People would spend $50 to buy these lollipops, and they would be mailed them, infected with VZV and bacteria. In effect, these rogue parents had created a new vector for the chickenpox virus. Mailing these infected lollipops is illegal since it violates federal law governing use of the U.S. Postal Service to transmit infectious substances. Frighteningly, what many people think is a "trivial" illness in fact exposes them to some serious organisms including MRSA and flesh-eating strep, in addition to the Varicella virus.
The Internet is intensifying this irrational phenomenon. Some Facebook pages are advertising "Find a Pox Party Near You." Parents can join a Facebook group and can either link up with those holding a "pox party" or arrange to purchase a chickenpox-infected lollipop.
The only possible reason to attend a "pox party" or purchase a chickenpox lollipop is a belief that all government-sanctioned vaccines are a plot to conduct some evil purpose. People who believe in these alternatives are either extremely paranoid about government intentions or just plain irrational. The title refers to 1348 AD, the year the Black Death arrived in Europe.
We live in a golden age of mankind, where the scourge of varicella Zoster virus is finally being eradicated. This virus has be-deviled mankind for hundreds of thousands of years. To stray away from a brilliant advance in chickenpox treatment is just plain wrong-headed and counter-productive. Worse, parents who participate in a "pox party" are potentially subjecting their children to serious medical harm.
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