Varicella Zoster Virus Research Paper

Viruses are all around us in this world. They all vary in size, shape, genomic contents, and a variety of other characteristics. Some viruses are more deadly than other viruses and some viruses are very uncommon. There are some odd viruses that can cause a disease; be fought off by the immune system, but instead of dying retreat back into the host and lie dormant until another time. A common example of this type of virus is the Varicella Zoster virus. This is the virus that causes chicken pox in children and young adults, but is also the culprit for shingles in elder adults. Varicella Virus has the ability to “hide out” from the body’s immune system until the time is right to strike.
The Varicella Zoster Virus is a part of the Herpesvirdae family[1]. Characteristics of this class of virus are a primary infection …show more content…
Schools and kids parties are the perfect place to spread around the VZV. The reservoir for VZV is humans. The disease is communicable five days before the rash forms and the entire time the rash is visual,.[4] Virus is transported in the air via the respiratory tract. This is where the virus initially replicates and then interacts with the lymph nodes. The virus is also transferable if direct contact is made with the lesions of an infected person. Once the person has contracted the disease and fought of the chicken pox then it is very unlikely that they will get chicken pox again because the body will recognize the virus again and be able to have a faster immune response using the IgG antibodies[1]. I was talking with my dentist and she explained to me that she had a “chicken pox party” where she took her kids and exposed them to another child who had chicken pox so her kids would get the disease at younger ages. The virus symptoms are worse in patients the older they get, but I do not know if I would recommend going to a “chicken pox