Mosquito bites are the most common way for people in tropical and subtropical areas to get the Zika virus. People infected with the Zika virus often exhibit no signs of illness. A little temperature, rash, and muscle discomfort have been reported by a few of people. Zika virus-induced GBS is a rare but significant side effect that may arise even in those who don’t show any symptoms of infection. As the Zika virus spreads, numerous words have been coined to describe it.
When pregnant women carry the Zika virus, their risk of miscarriage increases. Pregnant women who have been infected with the Zika virus are more likely to have kids with serious birth defects, such as microcephaly, which may be fatal.
In order to combat the Zika virus, researchers are now working on a vaccine. Eradicate mosquito breeding places in order to prevent sickness at this point in time.
Symptoms
Of those who are infected, up to four out of five show no symptoms. Symptoms may begin to appear between two to 14 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Symptoms are usually gone within a week, and the vast majority of people make a full recovery.
The following are the most prevalent Zika virus symptoms:
- Mild fever
- Rash
- Joint pain, particularly in the hands or feet
- Red eyes (conjunctivitis)
These are only a few of the possible side effects:
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Eye pain
- Fatigue or a general feeling of discomfort
- Abdominal pain
When to see a doctor
As soon as you believe you or someone in your family has the Zika virus, get emergency medical assistance. This is especially important if you have travelled to an area where the virus is circulating. Testing for Zika virus and other viruses spread by mosquitoes in the United States is available via the CDC.
If you’re expecting a child and recently visited a place where the Zika virus is prevalent, discuss with your doctor if you should get tested for the infection.
Causes
The Zika virus is mostly transmitted by infected mosquitoes. The virus may be transmitted by mosquitoes belonging to two aedes species, which can be found all over the world.
Those afflicted with Zika are bitten by mosquitoes, who then spread the illness to others. Once the virus enters a human’s circulation after being bitten by an infected mosquito, it may cause an illness.
When a woman is pregnant, the Zika virus has the potential to transfer from her to her unborn child.
The virus may also spread via sexual contact. Transfusions of blood or organs may sometimes spread the virus.
Risk factors
You are more likely to get the Zika virus if you have a history of:
Living or traveling in countries where there have been outbreaks. If you reside in a tropical or subtropical area, you are more prone to get the Zika virus. Countries in Central and South America as well as West African islands are especially vulnerable to climate change. Since the Zika virus is transmitted by mosquitoes that may be found all over the globe, outbreaks are expected to continue spreading to new areas.
Those who have come to the United States from other nations have a higher risk of contracting the Zika virus than those who stay at home. Nevertheless, mosquitoes that transmit the Zika virus have been identified in several parts of the United States and its territories abroad. A local transmission has been found in Florida, Texas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.
- Having unprotected sex. The Zika virus may be transmitted via sex. For a period of three months following returning from a vacation, sexual contact with an unprotected partner may increase a person’s risk of developing Zika. It is suggested that pregnant women whose partners have previously lived in or travelled to areas where Zika virus incidence is high use condoms or refrain from intercourse until the birth of their child. To lessen the risk of sexual transmission, use a condom or avoid intercourse for up to three months after returning from a vacation.
Complications
Those who have Zika while pregnant are more likely to miscarry, give birth prematurely, or have a stillbirth. Pregnant women who are infected with the Zika virus during pregnancy have a higher chance of having a baby with significant birth abnormalities, such as:
- Mirocephaly is a condition in which the brain and head are smaller than usual, and the skull is partially collapsed.
- Brain damage and reduced brain tissue
- Eye damage
- Joint problems, including limited motion
- Reduced body movement due to too much muscle tone after birth
Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is a consequence of the Zika virus infection in adults, even if there are no signs of infection.
Prevention
The Zika virus is not now the subject of a vaccine. However, you may take precautionary measures to limit your exposure to the virus.
You or your spouse may reduce your risk of infection with the Zika virus if you or your partner is pregnant or attempting to get pregnant by following these suggestions:
Plan travel carefully. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises pregnant women to avoid areas where the Zika virus is circulating.
Consult your doctor if you or your spouse are thinking about taking a vacation where you might be exposed to the Zika virus. Your doctor may urge you and your spouse to put off starting a family for two to three months after your vacation.
- Practice safe sex. Women who are expecting a child with a partner who has recently been to or resides in an area where Zika virus infections have occurred are advised by the CDC to abstain from sexual activity or wear a condom at all times.
Take precautions against mosquito bites if you live or plan to go to an area where the Zika virus has been detected:
- Stay in air-conditioned or well-screened housing. The Zika virus-carrying mosquitoes are most active between dawn and sunset, although they may also bite at night.. Consider using a mosquito net if you want to spend the night outdoors.
- Wear protective clothing. Long-sleeved shirts, jeans and socks should be worn in mosquito-infested locations.
- Use insect repellent. Clothing, shoes, camping gear, and bed nets may all benefit from permethrin. You can also buy clothing made with permethrin already in it. A mosquito repellent that includes DEET, picaridin, or another active ingredient certified by the Environmental Protection Agency and proven effective against mosquitoes should be used on your skin. They are safe and effective even for pregnant women and nursing mothers if taken as advised.
- Reduce mosquito habitat. Mosquitoes that transmit the Zika virus often reproduce in containers such as animal dishes, flower pots, and discarded vehicle tyres that have been left out in the rain. Empty any standing water at least once a week to help reduce mosquito populations.
The Zika virus and blood donation
Blood products have been used to disseminate the Zika virus in rare situations (blood transfusion). By screening all blood donations for Zika, blood donation facilities in the United States and its territories have been mandated to prevent transmission of the infection. If you have went to a region where the Zika virus is prevalent, your local blood donation facility may urge that you postpone your blood donation for four weeks.
People also search
When is Zika dangerous in pregnancy?
When is it possible for Zika to damage a developing foetus? Birth abnormalities have been reported in kids born to mothers who were infected with Zika at any point in their pregnancies, not only in the first trimester.
How does the Zika virus affect a baby?
Miscarriages, stillbirths, and birth abnormalities are all possible outcomes when the virus infects a pregnant woman. Microcephaly is a significant birth condition associated with Zika (ZEE-kuh) (the medical word for small head). Because the brain and skull of a newborn with microcephaly don’t develop as they should, the child may have developmental delays.
How does Zika spread to fetus?
Pregnant women may transfer the Zika virus on to their unborn children. Infected mosquitoes are the primary mode of transmission for Zika. It is possible to get Zika through having intercourse with a person who has the virus even if they do not exhibit any signs of the disease. Currently there is no vaccine or treatment for Zika.
