Chickenpox

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/chickenpox

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the virus family?Herpesviridae (specifically, Alphaherpesvirinae subfamily)
2. What is the genetic material?Double-stranded DNA
3. What causes the itchy spots of chickenpox?Chickenpox spots are caused by the varicella‑zoster virus, a tiny DNA virus that enters the body through the nose or mouth and spreads to the skin.
4. Why do chickenpox spots itch so much?The itching comes from chemicals called cytokines and histamine that are released when the virus infects skin cells.

Pathogenesis: The manner in which a disease develops, including the sequence of events.
Hematogenous Spread: The spread of infection through the bloodstream.
Latency: A dormant state of a virus within the host, capable of reactivation.
Cytokines: Small proteins secreted by cells that help regulate immune responses.