The causative agent of chicken pox, a contagious skin disease in human is?

ESIC Nursing Officer 2016 (shift-1)

Applied Microbiology & Infection control

Easy

Appeared in: ESIC Nursing Officer 2016 (shift-1)

Explanation

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV), also known as human herpesvirus 3 (HHV-3), is the etiological agent responsible for causing chickenpox (varicella).
Chickenpox is the primary infection, which presents as a characteristic itchy, vesicular (blister-like) rash.
After the primary infection resolves, the virus becomes dormant in the dorsal root ganglia and can reactivate later in life to cause shingles (herpes zoster).
Transmission occurs through respiratory droplets from an infected person's cough or sneeze, or by direct contact with the fluid from the skin blisters.

Option A: Human bocavirus (HBoV) is primarily associated with acute respiratory tract infections, particularly in young children, not a vesicular skin rash like chickenpox.
Option C: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), or HHV-4, is the causative agent of infectious mononucleosis, characterized by fever, pharyngitis, and lymphadenopathy.
Option D: Cytomegalovirus (CMV), or HHV-5, typically causes asymptomatic infections but can lead to a mononucleosis-like syndrome. It does not cause the classic chickenpox rash.

Visual 1: Diagram - The life cycle of the Varicella-zoster virus, showing primary infection (chickenpox) and reactivation (shingles).
Visual 2: Photograph - The characteristic vesicular rash of chickenpox on a child's torso, showing lesions in various stages of development (papules, vesicles, crusts).

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Etiology of Chickenpox helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Nurses must implement strict airborne and contact precautions for hospitalized patients with chickenpox to prevent nosocomial spread, especially to immunocompromised patients, pregnant women, and newborns.
Patient education is crucial, focusing on preventing scratching to avoid secondary bacterial infections and scarring, managing itching with cool baths and calamine lotion, and isolating the patient until all lesions have crusted over.
What if? If a pregnant staff nurse who is unsure of her immunity is exposed to a patient with chickenpox, she must be immediately removed from patient care and her immune status (VZV IgG) must be checked. If non-immune, she may require Varicella-Zoster Immune Globulin (VZIG) to prevent or modify the infection.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key terms in the question: 'causative agent' and 'chicken pox'.
This is a direct recall question testing your knowledge of microbiology and infectious diseases.
Mentally review the common childhood exanthems (rashes) and their viral causes.
Evaluate each option: Varicella-zoster virus is the classic cause of varicella (chickenpox).
Eliminate the other options by recalling the diseases they cause: Bocavirus (respiratory), EBV (mononucleosis), and CMV (mono-like illness, congenital issues).
Confirm your choice. The link between Varicella-zoster virus and chickenpox is a fundamental concept in nursing.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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