What is Zika Virus and Know About Zika Virus Symptoms and Treatment

Inspite of the world developing every day, there is no dearth of news relating to newly heard diseases which come out of nowhere to trouble mankind. In this article, we talk about the Zika Virus which has been taking its toll in Brazil, in particular, along with several other countries and regions. Get your Zika Virus awareness here as we bring you information on Zika Virus Symptoms and Treatment, as well as Zika Virus Prevention steps to fight against this dreadful mosquito-borne disease.

After Dengue and Chikungunya, now is the turn of a new virus that is spreading through mosquito bite. Known as Zika Virus Disease or Zika Fever, this mosquito-borne disease is reported to have explosively spread throughout the Brazilian provinces and 23 countries across the world. An estimated 4 million people are affected by the Zika Virus. Though strongly suspected, a relationship between Zika Virus and birth malfunctions and neurological syndromes has not been established yet.

What is Zika Virus and Know About Zika Virus Causes and Zika Virus Symptoms

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Above pic: Aedes aegypti mosquitoes – the Zika Virus Mosquitoes

Zika is a disease caused by Zika virus which spreads through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. It therefore doesn’t spread from person to person, so a person in physical contact with an infected person doesn’t contract the infection. However, if a person comes in contact with the body fluids of an infected person, then there is every possibility to contract the disease, especially during sexual intercourse. So what are the symptoms of Zika Fever? Well the initial Zika Virus symptoms are mild such as fever, rash, joint pain, or conjunctivitis (red eyes) due to which, it is ignored.

Zika Virus in Pregnancy | Babies Born with Zika Virus

Normally, it takes 2-7 days after the dreadful mosquito bite when the patient notices the first Zika virus symptom. In fact, approximately 80% of those infected with Zika Fever, do not show even these mild symptoms which is the main cause of worry as most patients are pregnant women. If the Zika Virus remains undetected, it can be passed on to the new born baby causing foetal deformation called microcephaly resulting in many deformities and malfunctions. A Zika Virus baby is believed to be born with unusually small heads and at times also with small brains.

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Above pic: A Zika Virus Baby photo

Zika Virus Treatment | Zika Virus Cure

Currently there is no treatment for Zika virus. However, as a preliminary Zika Virus treatment, start taking a lot of fluid and also take rest. Do not take aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen and naproxen. See a physician as soon as you notice even the mildest of Zika Virus symptoms and get early Zika Virus cure.

Zika Virus Prevention

Efforts are on to produce a Zika Virus vaccine, but the reality is that currently there is no vaccine for Zika Virus prevention. As a precautionary measure, you must do whatever you can to avoid mosquito bite such as:

Zika Virus Precautionary Measures | Zika Virus Precautions in Pregnancy

• If traveling, then choose a hotel or lodging with air-conditioning or mosquito screens on doors and windows.
• Use insect repellent at home. However, do not apply insect repellant lotion on babies less than two months of age.
• Wear long sleeved shirts and pants that cover your legs fully. The idea is to keep your body covered as much as possible.
• Relationship between Zika Virus and birth defects are yet to be established. However, there is a strong possibility that this virus affects pregnant women in the first trimester; therefore if you are trying to get pregnant, then the best precaution will be to postpone it for a few months at the least.
• If you are travelling to a Zika Virus infected country, then make sure that you consult your physician and the concerned authorities in that country to confirm the precautionary measures.

Zika Virus Countries

Following countries and provinces are reported to be seeing a number of Zika Virus cases. So taking extreme Zika Virus precautionary measures are a must when staying in these Zika Virus countries and regions (List compiled from this source).

Below pic: Zika Virus Map

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• American Samoa
• Aruba
• Barbados
• Belize
• Bolivia
• Bonaire
• Brazil
• Cape Verde
• Colombia
• Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, U.S. territory
• Costa Rica
• Cuba
• Curacao
• Dominca
• Dominican Republic
• Ecuador
• El Salvador
• Fiji
• French Guiana
• Guadeloupe
• Guatemala
• Guyana
• Haiti
• Honduras
• Jamaica
• Kosrae
• Marshall Islands
• Martinique
• Mexico
• New Caledonia
• Nicaragua
• Panama
• Papua New Guinea
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Martin
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Samoa
• Sint Maarten
• Suriname
• Tonga
• Trinidad and Tobago
• U.S. Virgin Islands
• Venezuela