VLN Online Biology 11
Module 3
Eric Chen

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Welcome to Disys, your average city.
Today seemed like a normal day but in fact
something was wrong. Something sinister
and never before seen was in the air...
literally.

Good heavens! What is this?
Someone! Heellllllllllllpppp!!

Linda! Call for help!
Think about the children!

Oh no! The mayor's children are sick!

Good morning Ms. Mayor! What? Your children
are sick? Rash? Extremely itchy red blisters
over their bodies? Fever? Sore throat? Loss of
appetite? Hmm... yes... this sounds bad. I don't
think Disys has ever had this before... well, this
looks like a job for...

There was only one citizen in Disys who knew what to
do...

Sanitary Steve

I came as fast as I could! Where
are the children?

At school.

Traveling at the speed of a vaccination going through
your bloodstream, Steve hurried to the Mayor's house...

WHAT!?!?!?!?!?

But he was too late...

Let me tell you why you don't
send children with what is most
likely chicken pox to school...

Meanwhile, at a nearby school...

The infection...

Let's play Dress-Up!

Cough

A-choo!

... was spreading...

I don't feel very well...

Chicken pox is an airborne disease caused by the
varicella zoster virus. It is highly contagious and
characterized by a vesicular rash and itchy blisters.
A person is contagious 1-2 days before the rash and
until every blister is crusted over.

There are no animals that carry chicken pox but aren't
affected by it. Primates have been shown to be affected
by chicken pox. It can take 10-21 days after exposure to
the virus for chicken pox to develop. Other symptoms
include fever, headache, sore throat, ear pain, and
loss of appetite.

The mayor's children were back from school. Using his
viroscopes, Steve determined that the children were infected
with chicken pox. As there is no "cure" for chicken pox, he sent
them to rest. He suggested to cut their nails so they didn't scratch
open the blisters and risk secondary infection. He also gave them
some calamine lotion to relieve the itchiness as they recovered.

What can I do for you Mr. Mayor? I hear your
children are recovering. It normally takes about
2 weeks for the disease to go away. Your children
will no longer be contagious when all the blisters
crust over. What? The entire city is infected with
chicken pox now? I'll be there right away...

10 days later, Steve received another phone call...

What started as two children catching chicken
pox has spread to the entire city! Chicken pox
is spread by coughs and sneezes. Contact with
the blisters of those with chicken pox also
spreads the virus.

Steve explained to the mayor how his children spread
chicken pox to the city by unintentionally coughing and sneezing
near classmates and classmates doing the same near others.

Just as he was leaving to have a check-up on the city,
Steve's viroscopes detected a large number of varicella
zoster viruses in the nearby mountains. Perhaps this was
where all the viruses were coming from...