Epidemiological Outbreak Investigation Of Chickenpox In Aathrai Tribeni Rural Municipality, May – June 2023, Taplejung, Nepal

Chickenpox is an acute, highly contagious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus, transmission via droplets, or direct contact with respiratory secretions, and almost always produces clinical disease in childhood before the age of 10 years, characterized by extensive vesicular eruption. The health coordinator of Aathrai Tribeni rural municipality of Taplejung district reported to Health Office, Taplejung about chickenpox-like symptoms in students of a nearby school. Health Office team moved towards the reported community to investigate the outbreak of chickenpox. The objectives of outbreak investigations were to confirm the outbreak, describe the epidemiological linkage of an outbreak, determine the cause of the outbreak and control the outbreak. The study type was descriptive cross-sectional study. The study was conducted in the affected population of Aathrai Tribeni-5, Chaange village and Maiwakhola-1, Khanitol of Taplejung district. The data were collected through interview and observation and the interview tool was semi-structured-questionnaire. The outbreak investigation duration was fromJune 1 to 7, 2023 Total 157 children were screened and interviewed with their parents and the incidence of chickenpox was 27 percent. The most affected age group was under 5 years with a 34 percent of incidence rate. The mean age of infected children was 8 years. The epidemic curve of cases concerning time was developed, a total of 43 cases of chickenpox were identified, index case of this outbreak was notified on May 2, 3023. Janajati especially Limbu are the main inhabitants, and Dalit and Brahmin/Kshetri are also the inhabitants of outbreak areas. All classes from 0 to 10 were infected and this suggested us the transmission was propagated from school and contact history revealed the school and neighborhood were the key places for infection. Most of the rashes were resolved within 5 to 9 days. Among infected children, 63% suffered from fever and 23% suffered from cough and no one has had complications. Increasing community and school awareness about the mode of transmission and control measures for prevention and training of reportable diseases, case-based management, and treatment for local levels health workers are recommended.