What is Zika Virus and how it is transmitted?

What is the Zika virus?

The Zika virus in 1947 was first identified in a monkey from the Zikawald Uganda in Africa. An infection is often no or only mild flu-like symptoms, which manifest themselves three to twelve days after infection. Only around 20 percent of those infected have mild fever, rash, myalgia, headache or joint pain for two or three days.

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How is the virus transmitted?

It is known that mosquitoes of the Aedes genus transmit the Zika virus - especially through the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti, possibly also by the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus. Maybe, but it can also get human-to-human, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) announced. Because there is evidence that the pathogen can be transmitted through blood. Moreover Zika viruses were detected in semen, so they could also be sexually transmitted. But more studies to be needed.

For whom the virus can be dangerous?

Zika infection may be dangerous for a pregnant woman. They can transmit the virus to their unborn children, which may lead to malformations. In Brazil alone since last October were nearly 4,000 newborns with microcephaly, i.e. with too little head, registered - usually this is very rare. In all of them analyzed cases the infected mothers had Zika virus during pregnancy.

How can a Zika infection be treated?

There are currently no vaccinations against an infection Zika. The symptoms can be alleviated with the usual pain and fever medication.

Zika affected regions:

The virus is found in tropical regions around the world. Since 2015 there is a massive outbreak in Brazil began and now quite Latin America relates. The WHO has warned against the spread on the entire American continent - with the exception of Chile and Canada, where there is not the super carrier mosquitoes. The pathogen was found already in 21 of the 55 countries on the continent.