“On Tuesday, University of Akron students were greeted with strange and unsettling news as they logged into Zipline: a fellow student had been diagnosed with chickenpox. Though almost everyone on campus has had chickenpox at some point, most students have not felt the itchy red rash since the last time O.”
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On Tuesday, University of Akron students were greeted with strange and unsettling news as they logged into Zipline: a fellow student had been diagnosed with chickenpox.

Though almost everyone on campus has had chickenpox at some point, most students have not felt the itchy red rash since the last time O.J. Simpson stood trial.  Once infected, a person rarely ever catches the virus again.

Once the staff at UA’s Health Services Center discovered the virus, the student was sent home to recover away from the rest of the university.

The student’s classmates were notified of the risk.

Because viruses cannot survive long without a host, disinfection and cleanup of the affected areas of campus were not necessary.

The e-mail was sent to every student on the advice of the Akron Health Department, which makes an effort to take no risks.

Whenever there is a contagious illness around, we use it to educate and alert people, says Diane Fashinpaur, Administrative Director at Health Services.

While prevalent in grade school, chickenpox (also known as varicella) has proven to be a rare occurrence in college-age Americans.

However, the virus is generally much more dangerous in adults and can cause major complications if untreated.

There are definitely more complications in adults than children, says Fashinpaur.

Fashinpaur also believes that this is the first case of chickenpox discovered on campus in several years.

Though most students at UA never had the opportunity, today’s children (or adults who never contracted the virus) can receive a vaccine that is roughly 80% effective.

The vaccine also works for those who caught the virus several days earlier.

If people find out they have not had it, they are to check with their doctor about getting the vaccine, advises Fashinpaur.

Chickenpox first reveals itself as cold or flu-like symptoms such as sneezing and coughing. 

After a few days, the trademark red blistery rash appears.

The disease has an incubation period of 10 to 21 days.

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