The most trending topic in health this year is the Zika virus. It is not a new virus but most of us hadn’t heard of it till early this year because of the major outbreak in Brazil.
Zika virus is a mosquito-borne illness spread primarily by the yellow fever mosquito. It is usually found in the tropics.
The reason that Zika is creating attention is because of the alarming rate at which it is spreading and its connection with a neurological disorder that is causing babies to be born with small heads that leads to developmental issues an even death.
Here are 5 facts you need to know about Zika virus:
- There is no cure
Zika virus is preventable but not curable. Only the symptoms are now controlled. NO vaccine or anti-viral drugs have been discovered so far to prevent the disease.
- Contracting Zika
Mosquitoes biting you are not the only way that the disease is transmitted. It can even spread by having sexual intercourse with a person who is infected by the virus.
- Symptoms are tricky
Since most of the symptoms of Zika are similar to that of the Dengue, Chikungunya and Malaria the detection of this virus becomes difficult.
The symptoms appear 3 to 5 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Fever, rashes, muscles and joint pain, headache and vomiting are some of the symptoms that can be easily mistaken by the symptoms of other diseases.
- It is not deadly
So far no deaths in adults have been reported after being infected by the virus. Acute manifestations have been found but did not arise in too many complications.
The virus is only deadly to pregnant mothers and their babies as it has shown to result in their abnormal growth and development thereby killing the chances of survival of the babies.
- Zika infection in pregnant women causes birth defects
The Zika virus is deadly to pregnant women as it has been linked to the newborns born recently with congenital condition that results in reduced brain development and abnormally small heads.
The alarming rate at which the disease is spreading is a reason to be concerned and so it is better to take precautions by restricting travel of pregnant women to areas where it widespread and using repellent when there are mosquitoes to prevent getting infected.
