Immune response to Varicella zoster virus

Now you are engaging the disease/infection from the perspective of the immune response. What can you do to combat this invader that might not have been discussed? Do you have something up your microscopic sleeve? Have you ever combated something that is similar before, maybe something else in the discussion that causes a similar response? Don’t forget to hit the fifty word minimum, from the perspective of the immune system.

You are to base the response off the following discussion.

I am Shingles disease, also known as herpes zoster combating humoral immunity. I am caused by the virus commonly known as chicken pox, varicella zoster virus (VZV). I am a very painful rash that develops on one side of the body. My rash will turn into big painful blisters that usually pop and ooze, but typically will scab over within two weeks. Before my rash even appears one will experience pain, itching, or tingling in the area that my rash will later develop on the body. Other symptoms of my disease is fever, headache, chills and an upset stomach. If an individual has had the chicken pox virus before then I, Shingles virus, is actually already in the immune system. I stay inactive within the nerve tissue near your spinal cord and brain for your lifetime. The chicken pox virus will re-activate itself after years of being dormant causing me, the Shingles, to develop. I usually only develop in those who are 50 years of age and over, who have had chicken pox in the past. Scientists are unsure of how the varicella zoster virus re-activates itself after years of being inactive in the body. I am not passed from person to person as easy as chicken pox is. I am actually only contagious when the rash starts to form blisters, but once the blisters scab over then it I am no longer contagious. The contents of the blisters is how the disease can be passed from person to person, however the main cause of the disease is from the varicella zoster virus re-activating on its own within the body. There is no treatment for me since scientists are unsure of how it re-activates in the immune system, but there is a vaccine that can help prevent me from developing and the pain that comes along with me. This vaccine is called Shingrix. It is recommended that healthy adults over 50 receive two doses of this vaccine 2-6 months apart. Even with this vaccine there is still a chance that I will pop back up over the course of the lifetime.

https://www.cdc.gov/shingles/index.html

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/shingles/symptoms-causes/syc-20353054

Answer preview………..

Herpes shingles occur after a latent period of infection with Varicella zoster virus (VZV) which is from the virus family called Herpesviridae family. After immunization, the body develops memory of the infection and therefore responds first in case the infection comes. The Varicella zoster virus is targeted by IgG that is specific to the VZV. The immune system fights VZV by increasing the concentration of IgG. IgG targets particular receptors on the VZV and attacks them (Smith-Norowitz et al., 2009). IgE antibodies are also involved and participate in combating the illness. Although I use the same mechanism to fight genital herpes, I have not gotten the chance to fight genital herpes yet…………

APA 177 words