Zika virus disease is a disease caused by Zika virus that is spread to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito. Most of the people usually don’t get sick enough to go to the hospital, and they very rarely die of Zika. For this reason, many people might not realize they have been infected. Once a person has been infected, he or she is likely to be protected from future infections.
The virus was first discovered in 1947 and is named after the Zika forest in Uganda. In 1952, the first human cases of Zika were noticed and since then, epidemic of Zika have been reported in tropical Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands.
In May 2015, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an alert regarding the first confirmed Zika virus infection in Brazil and on Feb 1, 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Zika virus a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). Local transmission has been reported in many other countries and territories. Zika virus likely will continue to spread to new areas.
Zika Virus Symptoms
Zika virus most common symptoms are fever, rash, joint pain, or conjunctivitis (red eyes), muscle pain and headache. The incubation period is likely to be a few days to a week. The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week after being bitten by an infected mosquito.
The virus usually remains in the blood of an infected person for about a week but it can be found longer in some people.
Diagnosis
The symptoms of Zika are similar to those of dengue and chikungunya, diseases spread through the same mosquitoes that transmit Zika. Diagnosis can be done by blood tests to look for Zika or other similar viruses like dengue or chikungunya.
Treatment
There is no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat Zika infections.
Treat the symptoms: Drink fluids to prevent dehydration. Medicines like acetaminophen, paracetamol gives relief from fever and pain. During the first week of infection, Zika virus can be found in the blood and passed from an infected person to a mosquito through mosquito bites.
An infected mosquito can then spread the virus to other people.
Transmission
From mother to child: A mother already infected with Zika virus near the time of delivery can pass on the virus to her newborn around the time of birth. A pregnant woman can pass Zika virus to her fetus during pregnancy.To date, there are no reports of infants getting Zika virus through breastfeeding. Because of the benefits of breastfeeding, mothers are emboldened to breastfeed even in areas where Zika virus is found.
Through sexual contact: The virus can be spread by a man to his sex partners. In known cases of likely sexual transmission, the men had Zika symptoms, but the virus can be transmitted before, during, and after symptoms develop.
Zika virus continues to circulate and cause locally-transmitted disease in the Americas. Pregnant women in any trimester should consider postponing travel to areas of Zika virus transmission.