Queanbeyan is poxy! Close the border!

I didn’t get Chickenpox until I went to Uni, where I must have brushed against one of the unwashed arts students. I got off very lightly compared to the members of my family I unwittingly exposed the disease to – adult chickenpox certainly did suck the big one.

As a side note, and somewhat related to the “dirt” pill, I read somewhere last week that 1 in 20 children these days has an alergy to nuts. This, along with an overall rise in the level of all allergies in children can be attributed to an overly sterile environment which does not allow children to develp a natural immunity against even the most basic things. I’m sure you can all see the implications this will have for future generations.

Yeah, chickenpox as an adult can lead to Shingles and it’s nasty, and often can re-occur. Itching is just part of it.

Bloody hell it’s not called shingles, it’s still chickenpox!

Shingles is also caused by the varicella-zoster virus, a form of herpes, but you can’t get shingles UNLESS you have had chichenpox as shingle is caused by the sneeky virus hanging out in you spine.

Clik on the links and get informed.

It’s called Shingles, IIRC. Can be some nasty, nasty shit and makes Chickenpox look like a walk in the park.

Dirt capsules? For God’s sake! Get the kid a dog and send them outside to play together. I am obsessive about germs, and clean things to within an inch of their lives. I am aware this has a negative effect on a child’s immune system, but figure her running around outside with the dog and coming in hours later covered in filth evens it out.

So what happens if you get chickenpox as an adult then?

TELLMEDOIT!!!!

dirt capsules… unbelievable…

aahh the mumps… that sounds more like it…

Absent Diane, thats mumps actually, a swelling of the glands.

Well, it is true that chicken pox can cause a nasty fever leading to meningitis in small children – which is why 7 people die each year from chicken pox complications. But because 75% of Australians have had chicken pox, you can reduce a baby’s risk just by breastfeeding (assuming the mother has immunity) instead of using formula. So the kid doesn’t get it til their internal thermostat is in a better position to cope with the fever.

You’ll go blind like that Ari.

And AD – I saw something that made me laugh, then cry the other day. Apparently one of the major drug companies is releasing a “dirt capsule” loaded with natural pathogens (live bacteria, fungi and viruses) for new parents to give kiddies to stimulate their immune systems. They say it is likely to be highly profitable.

Umm…(insert observation here)

I really hope it was a hoax.

And yes, Ebola (and it’s lesser known, but equally unpleasant cousin Marburg) virus is quite fascinating (but exceptionally nasty).