The beginning of the monsoon in India increases a rapid increase in cases of Diseases transmitted by mosquitoesAnd this year, together with dengue, we also have a new contender, which is the Zika virus.
An increasing number of Zika virus cases through the country is reported and alarms has increased, especially for Pregnant women They are brutally affected by this virus. Let’s find out more about the Zika virus.
Zika virus It is a virus that belongs to the Flavivirus virus group and is spread by the Aedes mosquito, the same as the one that causes dengue, Japanese encephalitis and even yellow fever. The Zika virus, originally from a belt in Africa, extended for the first time to the Americas and cautized several epidemics there since 2017. Later, infections began to move east, towards southern Asia and especially India. They have several leg epidemics since 2021, with the most recently a bee in Maharashtra, with Several cases of Zika virus Detected in Pune.
How is Zika virus transmitted?
The Zika virus is transmitted mainly through contact with body fluids. Some of the ways in which the Zika virus can be transmitted:
1. Bite by the Aedes mosquito.
2. From the mother to the girl through the placenta.
3. Sexual contact with an affected person with the Zika virus.
4. Mess commonly through organ transplantation.
The mosquito bite remains the most common propagation mode, which makes the anti -manic measures more effective in controlling the spread of the disease.
Zika virus symptoms:
Zika virus infection is an infection transmitted by mosquito vectors that, for most people, causes a slight letter and infection that lasts up to a week. The following symptoms can be experienced as part of the disease:
1. clothing.
2. Joint pain and muscle pain.
3. Conjunctivitis that causes irrigation or eyes.
4. Fever.
5. Occasionally, an eruption.
6. Headache.
These symptoms are also common to other diseases transmitted by mosquitoes but less serious.
Who is at risk?
Anyone traveling to the area affected by the Zika virus or living in close contact with some with Zika virus infection has a very high risk of obtaining an infection. The following people commonly fall into the risk category for Zika virus infection:
1. Travelers to and from areas affected by the Zika virus.
2. Pregnant women in areas with epidemics or endemic of the Zika virus.
3. Children not born or an infected mother of the Zika virus.
4. Sexual partners of people living in endemic areas of the Zika virus or those who have active infection.
5. Organ receptors in endemic areas of the Zika virus.
6. Senior adults, young children and committed immuno people also have a high risk of infection.
7. Areas where mosquitoes are actively reproducing and winning large quantities, such as after the monsoon season.
Zika virus complications:
In most cases, the Zika virus is only responsible for mild symptoms. Rarely, it can also result in serious complications, some of which are listed as follows.
1. Microcephaly in unborn babies and calcification in the gray-white brain union that can then affect its social, language or even intellectual development.
2. There may also be other congenital abnormalities such as Contractures In the extremities and early pregnancy lexhaustion or abortions. Hearing loss, seizures and Rigid muscles They can be other problems that can affect children born to mothers who had early Zika infection in pregnancy.
3. The Zika virus has been related to the cases of the Gullian Barre Syndromewhich is a potentially fatal demyelinization of the nerves in the body, causing paralysis from the bottom up, becoming fatal when the respiratory muscles are paralyzed.
Zika virus syndrome:
Zika virus syndrome affects almost 6% of babies born to mothers infected with the Zika virus. It is more likely to happen in the children of mothers who were affected by the virus at the beginning of pregnancy, as in the first quarter. The probability that Zika virus syndrome reduces to less than 3.8% in children of mothers affected in the third quarter. The characteristics of the Zika virus syndrome are the following:
1.microcephaly.
2. Problems with brain development.
3. Diplejía or for fuel, a type of paralysis in babies that causes stiffness and paralysis in the child’s extremities.
4. Hearing loss that can often be irreversible
5. involvement.
6. Difficulty swallowing food
These symptoms, as mentioned above, have a very low possibility to occur. The next pregnancy will not be affected since this syndrome is only seen in women who are actively infected with pregnancy; Therefore, there is no Zika virus infection and no risk of Zika virus syndrome in the baby.
SDIAgnosis or zika virus:
The Zika virus is diagnosed with the help of clinical signs and symptoms, which help reduce the disease due to the Zika virus, another virus of the same family. TO Clinical diagnosis It is followed by a laboratory test, which is generally a Confirmation test. Some of the diagnostic laboratory tests used are the following:
1. ZIKV IGM test Through lateral flow or Eliza tests.
2. Nate test ORPÍN Nucleic acid amplification tests for Zika virus.
3. Isolate the Zika virus Of the body fluid of the infected person.
These are the tests that are currently avias and can help differentiate the Zika from the dengue virus.
Zika virus treatment:
Zika virus treatment is largely based on the management of academic fluid symptoms and hydration. Pain and fever medications such as paracetamol are available at the counter and, therefore, can be used to control the infection at home. If the patient becomes too serious, one can also be handled well in the hospital.
Zika virus prevention:
Zika virus prevention can be done by altering the transmission chain, which is complete by the mosquito biting the healthy person. The following precautions are useful to prevent Zika virus infection, as well as other diseases transmitted by mosquitoes:
1. Use or mosquito networks while sleeping.
2. Use or repellent creams of mosquitoes while it comes out.
3. Remove mosquito reproduction places draining water collection around houses. Covering and cleaning septic tanks and contaminated water bodies from time to time.
4. Wear light color clothes that cover the body well.
Zika virus vaccine:
Zika virus vaccines are still in development And you can expect them to be in public use in another 2-3 years. The development of a vaccine is a very long process, and the Zika virus is a complex virus; Therefore, the Zika vaccine is still in the trials, so a safe and very effective vaccine can occur for use in older and pregnant women and even children.
Zika virus precautions:
You can see the following precautions for anyone who travels to areas where the Zika virus prevails:
1. First, traveler to such areas By pregnant women it is quite avoided To prevent Zika virus infection.
2. For other travelers, take Personal protection In the form of Mosquito repellent And clothing with more coverage to avoid mosquito bites.
3. Avoid sexual contact With people in the area where the Zika virus is endemic.
