Материал: Глебова Е.И. - Английский язык для медицинских специалистов, 2012

nose, general sick feeling (malaise), red eyes with tearing (conjunctivitis), and fever up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit.

The measles rash is usually characterized by pink or bright red spots that are not itchy. It typically begins at the hairline and behind the ears, then spreads downward to the neck, trunk, arms and legs, palms and soles. The rash begins to fade about four days later in the same order that appeared. The fading rash may leave behind a temporary brownish discoloration that clears 2 to 3 days later. Some patients also have enlarged lymph nodes (swollen glands), diarrhea, and vomiting. The symptoms of measles usually last about 10 days.

The measles can be prevented by the measles vaccine, which is usually given as part of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) combination vaccine. If a child has not been immunized against measles and has been exposed to the disease, the vaccine may provide protection when it is given within 72 hours after the exposure. If the exposure occurred between three and six days earlier, the child can receive an injection of immune globulin (IG). Immune globulin contains ready-made antibodies to protect against the measles virus and can prevent or at least minimize the symptoms of measles infection.

There is no specific treatment for measles. Measles symptoms are treated with acetaminophen (Tylenol) to reduce fever and relieve discomfort, bed rest, and a cool-mist humidifier to soothe respiratory passages and relieve cough. Aspirin shouldn’t be used in children with measles because of the risk of Reye’s syndrome. Children and adults who develop a middle ear infection or bacterial pneumonia are treated with antibiotics.

Some doctors prescribe high doses of vitamin A. Low levels of this vitamin have been found in children with severe cases of measles. In patients with weakened immune systems or who are severely ill with measles the antiviral medications have occasionally been used.

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 WORD-BUILDING

Task 6. Complete the table with suitable words.

 WORK IN PAIRS

Task 7. Ask your partner about any medical terms relating to the topic and answer his/her questions.

Task 8. Complete the sentences.

1.Measles is …

2.It is caused by …

3.The virus spreads through …

4.The contagious period is from … to …

5.The first symptoms include …

6.The measles rash is described as …

7.The disease can be prevented by …

8.Passive prevention includes …

9.The treatment consists of …

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10. The most severe complications are …

Task 9. Discuss any information you know about the topic with a partner.

 READING and SPEAKING

Task 2. Warm-up discussion.

What is chiken pox? Have you had chicken pox infection? If yes, how old were you? Is it a children infection?

Task 3. Read the text and answer the questions.

Chicken pox is one of the childhood contagious infectious diseases. It is caused by the varicella-zoster virus.

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Chicken pox has a 10-21 day incubation period and it is highly contagious through physical contact. A person with chicken pox is contagious from one to two days before the rash appears until all blisters have formed scabs. Following the primary infection, the patient usually has a lifelong protective immunity from further episodes of chicken pox.

There are two ways of transmission of the disease. Chicken pox spreads from person to person by direct contact with infected bodily fluids or contaminated objects, such as bedding or clothing. Also it can be transmitted through the air from an infected person’s coughing or sneezing.

The clinical picture starts with flue-like symptoms. Some kids have fever, abdominal pain, sore throat, headache, or a vague sick feeling a day or two before the rash appears. These symptoms may last for a few days, and fever stays in the range of 37,7 – 38,8 0, though in rare cases it may be higher. Younger kids often have milder symptoms and fewer blisters than older children and adults.

Characteristic spots appear after the flue-like period in two or three waves. A red itchy rash usually appears first on the abdomen or back and face. It spreads to almost everywhere else on the body, including the scalp, mouth, nose, ears, and genitals. The chicken pox lesions (blisters) start as two to four millimeter red papules. Then thin-walled, clear vesicles develop on the top of the area of redness. After about 8 to 12 hours the fluid in the vesicles gets cloudy and the vesicles break leaving a crust. This fluid is highly contagious, but once the lesions crust over, it is not contagious any more. The crusts usually fall off after 7 days.

Typically, chicken pox is a mild illness, but can affect some infants, teens, adults, and people with weak immune system more severely. Some people can develop serious bacterial infections involving skin, lungs, bones, joints, and brain. Even kids with normal immune system can develop complications, most commonly a skin infection near the blisters.

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