What is Zika Virus? And its Causes, Treatment

 

The Zika Virus called ZIKV which is a mosquito-borne disease that is usually transmitted by the bites from certain species of Aedes mosquito, especially  Aedes aegypti. These aedes mosquitoes usually bite in the day, especially during dawn and dusk. In Australia, species like Aedes aegypti can carry zika virus which can be usually found only in the parts of northern Queensland but not any cases of zika virus in Queensland.

Usually there are no symptoms  for most people affected by Zika virus, but in one fifth of the cases, Zika virus infection may cause an illness with symptoms like fever, rash, conjunctivitis, sudden headache and muscle and joint pain. Zika virus illness won't be severe and it does not require any hospitalisation.

In the past years, zika virus outbreaks have been reported in the areas of tropical Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. Particularly, zika virus known cases in Australia will be in travellers who are returning from overseas.

There is no particular treatment or vaccine for Zika virus that is not available. One of the best prevention is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes if you are in a Zika virus affected country.

Symptoms of Zika virus

Typically, symptoms of Zika virus infection in an affected person are usually mild and it can last for a few days up to a week. But approximately 1 in five of infected people will develop symptoms. Some symptoms are:

• fever

• skin rashes

• conjunctivitis (eye infection)

• headache

• muscle and joint pain.

Causes

Generally, zika virus is spread through the bites of infected Aedes mosquitoes which includes species called Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus.

These types of Aedes mosquitoes mostly attack in the daytime but they also bite at night time. These mosquitoes usually lay their eggs near the standing water, and it can survive in both indoors as well as outdoors. These Aedes mosquitoes are the same mosquitoes which can transmit the viruses that usually cause dengue fever, chikungunya, and yellow fever.  Mosquitoes become infected by their feed on someone who has the Virus and they spread it to other people by the infected mosquito bites.

There are some other ways that the zika virus may be spread. Here are some reported modes of transmission that have not been confirmed or require more research on confirming the transmission modes. 

• Mother to Child

• Blood Transfusion

• Through Sex

• Laboratory and Healthcare Settings

• Animals

Spread of infection

• Zika virus is mainly spread by the bite of infected mosquitoes.

• If the infected mosquito bites the pregnant woman, the infection can cross the placenta in the pregnant woman, eventually it will infect the fetus.

• This zika virus can also be transmitted through blood transfusion or laboratory exposure.

Diagnosis of Zika virus

This type of zika virus infection can diagnose through:

• Your medical history and travel history to look for any exposure in a country with zika virus before the two weeks of illness

•  And followed by physical examination to identify the evidence of an infection

• Tests like blood tests and laboratory tests.

Treatment for Zika virus

Zika virus infection is usually mild. Till now, there is no cure or any treatments for Zika virus infection. Typically treatments are helpful to ease the symptoms and it reduces the risk of future complications when the infected person recovers. If you visited a country with active Zika virus transmission and people with symptoms of Zika virus could be caused by Zika infection, you must seek prompt medical care.

People who are diagnosed with zika virus infection should 

• get plenty of rest

• Should drink enough fluids

• You must treat pain and fever with common medications like paracetamol.

You should not take any medicines like aspirin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs unless your physician suggested to you. Because it leads to the risk of bleeding if there is a dengue infection.

If your symptoms get worse then you should seek prompt medical care and advice.

Zika virus complications

During high breakouts of Zika virus infection in French Polynesia in the year of 2013 and in Brazil in the year of 2015, health professionals reported that neurological and auto-immune complications arise because of this Zika virus disease.

Prevention of Zika Virus Infection

One of the best ways of prevention is to protect yourself and others from getting bitten by mosquitoes. To prevent the further spread of the virus is to avoid contact with mosquitoes during the first week of zika virus illness.

Here are the some ways to protect yourself:

• You should use an insect repellent with active ingredients like DEET and picaridin. But you should not use insect repellents on babies who are younger than two months of age.

• You should Wear always long pants and long-sleeved shirts

• You must find lodging with air-conditioning services or screens to keep mosquitoes outside

• You should treat clothes with the insecticide permethrin

• if you’re sleeping outdoors, Always sleep under a mosquito bed net 

• You must cover a baby's crib, stroller, or carrier with mosquito netting

• You should remove stagnant water in places like planters, buckets, birdbaths, or trash containers.

Especially for children, the following steps are suggested:

• You don’t use insect repellents on infants who are all under 2 months old.

• Children who come under the age of 3, do not use products which contains oil of lemon eucalyptus 

• Adults should spray repellent on their own hands and then you can apply it to the children’s skin

• You should dress your children to cover their arms and legs, and also you must cover the crib, stroller and baby carrier with mosquito netting.

• Be aware of applying insect repellent, should not to the hands, eyes, mouth, or cut or irritated skin of children.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How serious is Zika virus?

Ans: Zika virus disease is generally mild, and severe disease requiring hospitalization and deaths are uncommon.

Q2. Do all mosquitoes carry Zika?

Ans: Not all mosquitoes transmit Zika virus. Zika is primarily spread through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito.

Q3. What organs does Zika affect?

Ans: In adults, infection with the Zika virus may cause brain or nervous system complications, such as Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Q4. Is Zika in sperm?

Ans: Zika can stay in your semen and may be passed to your partner (and the fetus) for months after infection, even if you have no symptoms.

Q5. Who is most affected by Zika?

Ans: People who are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant are at the greatest risk for the Zika virus if travelling to an area with ongoing outbreaks.