Zika fever
Contents
What are the symptoms?
The World Health Organisation says the symptoms are usually mild and normally last two to seven days. Symptoms are similar to dengue and chikungunya and include:
- a mild fever,
- skin rash,
- aches and pains,
- headache, and
- conjunctivitis.
About one in five people infected with the virus become ill. Zika virus usually remains in the blood of an infected person for about a week.
How is Zika Spread?
The virus is spread when people are bitten by an infected Aedes mosquito. Global health experts are also investigating whether the virus can be transmitted sexually.
What is the treatment?
There is currently no vaccine to prevent infection, and there is no medical treatment for the disease.
The WHO's prevention advice is to remove mosquito breeding sites and reduce contact between mosquitoes and people by:
- using insect repellent;
- wearing clothes (preferably light-coloured) that cover as much of the body as possible;
- using physical barriers such as screens, closed doors and windows; and
- sleeping under mosquito nets.
"It is also important to empty, clean or cover containers that can hold water such as buckets, flower pots or tyres, so that places where mosquitoes can breed are removed," the WHO's advice says.
What are the risks?
Zika may be linked to birth malformations and neurological syndromes. the potential for it to spread further internationally given the wide geographical distribution of the mosquitoes that carry it. the lack of immunity in newly affected areas, and
the absence of vaccines, specific treatments and rapid diagnostic tests.- Links
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zika fever
- Relevant Occupations
- Infectious Disease Specialist
Resources
| Title | Region | Description | URL | Related Pages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Zika Virus Guidebook | The Zika Virus Guidebook by Dr John Hagidimitriou outlines many things about Zika Virus, including diagnosis, treatment, prevention and possible links with Microcephaly and Guillain Barre Syndrome | http://www.TheZikaVirusGuidebook.com |
