Chicken Pox
What is Chicken Pox?
Chicken pox is a highly contagious viral infection caused by the varicella virus. Chicken pox is a disease of childhood and ninety percent of cases occur in children aged fourteen years and younger. Chicken pox can occur at any time, but occurs most often in March, April, and May in warmer climates. Chicken pox is typically diagnosed clinically based on the history of viral symptoms and the characteristic appearance of the rash. However, sometimes chicken pox can be confused with herpes simplex, impetigo, insect bites, or scabies.
Most people are aware of the rash, but chicken pox starts out looking just like a common cold. Runny nose, sneezing, cough, and fever are typical first symptoms of chicken pox. Three to five days later the rash shows up.
Chicken Pox Rashes
The rash itself appears as dots ranging from the size of an eraser head to about the size of a dime. Within each of these dots is a fluid filled vesicle which may pop over the course of the following days. The lesions may be painful, itch, or not be bothersome at all. They may be found anywhere on the skin, in the mouth and within the vaginal area and even unseen within the penis. Urination may be painful because of this.
The most contagious time occurs when the person is manifesting the cold-like symptoms. This happens usually two to five days before the rash appears. As a result the time in which someone is most contagious occurs before the person even knows he has chicken pox. After the rash appears, the person is infectious for about five days or until all the lesions have begun crusting over.
Who gets Chicken Pox?
Humans are the only animals that get chicken pox. So the only way to catch it is by being around a person who is infected. The virus is spread through secretions and by tiny droplets, so sharing saliva, sneezing, and coughing are good ways to pass the virus from one person to another.
Children with immune problems can have significant problems if infected with chicken pox. These include those children infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, those with cancer, those on steroids for other illnesses, and newborn babies.
There is not a lot that can be done to completely eliminate the symptoms once a child is infected with chicken pox. Most treatment is then aimed at trying to alleviate the pain, itch, and fever associated with chicken pox.
All About Head Lice Nits
Understanding Head Lice Problem
In understanding the problem of head lice it is necessary to dispel a few myths and misconceptions; one is that head lice cannot fly – they are wingless creatures as evidenced by the many head lice pictures available on the internet – and perhaps more important is to understand that head lice and head lice nits are two different things.
This is vital in treatment terms as getting rid of either requires a different approach; the head lice themselves, the adult walking creatures, are relatively easy to get rid of by using either one of the many insecticide lotions or shampoos, Malathion or Permethrin for instance, available in well known brand such as Ovide, or by using a natural method or lotion, many of which are rather bizarre and somewhat questionable. Nits, however, are absolutely microscopic and may avoid being eliminated by even the strongest of insecticide treatments, meaning that while the lice have all been killed there are living, soon to hatch eggs remaining, and ready to start off a new colony in a matter of days.
Head Lice Nits Are Strongly Attached To Our Hair
One problem with head lice nits is that they are attached to our hair by what amounts to a very strong glue, and they are laid very close to the scalp making them difficult to find; wet combing the hair with a nit comb over a white sheet of paper may help to identify those that you do manage to dislodge – they will appear as tiny white specks – but this does not mean they have all been successfully removed.
A seemingly odd process may help to dislodge the nits from their strong holding, as bathing the head in vinegar has been shown to loosen the attachment to the hair, thanks to the acids present. Once done, and rinsed thoroughly, a further combing with a nit comb may result in a full clear out of all attendant nits.
As some may remain we need to keep a close eye on the patient over the next few days; nits hatch approximately one week after they are laid, and in as little as a further week the young head lice nymphs become breeding adults. This means you have a space of two weeks from the initial treatment over which close attention, and regular inspection, must be kept up in order to clear the head of any future or possible infestation. Nits are the biggest part of the problem, and the most difficult to spot, so such examinations are an integral part of any treatment regime.
Head Lice Treatment
Liceadex Lice & Nit Removal Gel
Great for an Individual Case of Lice! 2 Products in 1 - Kills the Lice & Helps to Remove The Nits!!
- 4 oz. / 118 ml Bottle
Liceadex One Step Lice & Nit Removal Gel is a special, one of a kind, natural formula that provides a safe effective way to kill lice and their eggs, without traditional and potentially harmful pesticide ingredients like permethrin or pyrethrum found in many over the counter solutions or expensive, multiple-step, essential oil-based solutions. Our formulation, using specialized surfactants and minerals such as bromides, is the fastest-acting and most effective head lice products you will find today without using pesticides.
-Head Lice-
Tinea Capitis Diagnosis
Tinea Capitis Symptoms
Tinea capitis symptoms on the scalp may or may not actually lead to a definite tinea capitis diagnosis. It is sometimes hard to tell the source of the fungus or if it is an actual fungal infection. This is a skin disorder that affects children almost exclusively. Tinea capitis is easily and frequently mistaken for other infections. Non-fungal conditions that resemble tinea infections include impetigo, Seborrhoeic dermatitis, Psoriasis, Discoid eczema, Lichen simplex, Contact allergic dermatitis and Pityriasis rosea. Suggestions for prevention include things like keeping the area clean. Using a medicated shampoo, with ingredients like ketoconazole or selenium sulfide, may reduce the spread of infection. It may be necessary for other family members and pets to be examined and treated.
There are options that can be explored to help with diagnosis. Some are a skin lesion biopsy with microscopic examination can be done or culture or a Wood’s lamp test to confirm a fungal scalp infection. The Wood’s lamp examination can be useful in evaluating the scope of infection, identifying areas for sampling and determining treatment response when the Tinea capitis diagnosis is positive. The examination can also be useful for looking at the contacts of an infected person.
Tinea Capitis on Aminals
Most dermatophytes do not fluoresce during examination but there are exceptions to this rule. Two of those exceptions are zoophilic dermatophytes. Zoonotic means the disease can be passed from animals to humans. Cats are more likely to be infected with Tinea capitis of all animals. The skin changes in cats are very similar to those of affected people, but cats can carry the infection without exhibiting obvious signs just like infected humans.
Fungal organisms known as dermatophytes may cause scalp ringworm by infecting certain kinds of tissue found in hair, skin, and nails. It can be persistent as well as contagious. Symptoms may consist of itching, scaly, and inflamed balding areas on the scalp. The specific pattern of fungal scalp ringworm depends on the infecting organisms. Ringworm of the scalp or beard may look like dandruff with flakes of dead skin on the hair or beard.
Tinea Capitis Infection
The infection can spread gradually and cover a large area. Oral antifungal medications are required to treat the infection. It is estimated that 3-8% of the population is affected by ringworm in the United States alone. Some people can carry the infection and pass it to others in the household. In other countries, statistics show an estimated 9.6% of people are Tinea Capitis affected to varying degrees, and nearly 40% can be carriers.
