Can Zika virus be treated?
The CDC says it is “likely” that an individual is protected from future infections once they have been infected by Zika. At present, there is no treatment or cure for the virus.
What is Zika fever?
A Review of the Ongoing Research on Zika Virus Treatment The Zika fever is an arboviral disease resulting from the infection with Zika virus (ZIKV). The virus is transmitted to humans by the bite of <i>Aedes</i> mosquitos, mainly <i>Aedes aegypti</i> and <i>Aedes albopictus</i>.
Can you die from Zika?
It is rare for people to die from a Zika infection. The CDC says it is “likely” that an individual is protected from future infections once they have been infected by Zika. At present, there is no treatment or cure for the virus.
Should I get tested for Zika if I'm Pregnant?
The blood or urine samples can also be used to test for other, similar mosquito-borne diseases. If you are pregnant and don't have symptoms of Zika virus infection but you or your partner recently traveled to an area with active Zika virus transmission, ask your doctor if you need to be tested.
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Why should we care about the Zika virus?
Zika is linked to birth defects. Zika infection during pregnancy can cause a serious birth defect called microcephaly that is a sign of incomplete brain development. Doctors have also found other problems in pregnancies and among fetuses and infants infected with Zika before birth.
Is there a cure or treatment for the Zika virus?
There is no specific medicine or vaccine for Zika virus. Treat the symptoms. Get plenty of rest.
What is the treatment for possible future treatments of Zika virus?
There is no specific treatment for infection with the Zika virus. To help relieve symptoms, get plenty of rest and drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. The over-the-counter (OTC) medication acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) may help relieve joint pain and fever.
How does the Zika virus affect society?
Global concern broke out in late 2015 as thousands of children in Brazil were born with microcephaly, which was quickly linked to congenital infection with Zika virus (ZIKV). ZIKV is now known to cause a wider spectrum of severe adverse outcomes—congenital Zika syndrome (CZS)—and also milder impairments.
How can we prevent Zika virus?
The best way to prevent Zika is to protect yourself from mosquito bites. Everyone, including pregnant and breastfeeding women, should take steps to prevent mosquito bites. When used as directed, EPA-registered insect repellents are proven safe and effective, even for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Why is there no vaccine for Zika?
Purified inactivated vaccine (ZPIV) As the ZPIV vaccine contains inactivated Zika particles, the virus cannot replicate and cause disease in humans. U.S. Army researchers agreed to give Sanofi permission to develop the technology, but protest in Congress halted the venture.
Is there vaccine for Zika virus?
No vaccine or treatment is currently available. As a response to the Zika virus epidemic, the development of a vaccine has emerged as a top priority of the US government. Preclinical work has demonstrated efficacy and human vaccine trials are on-going.
Is Zika virus still a concern?
Zika virus continues to be a concern in many parts of the world. Transmission can occur in most areas of the world where the mosquito Aedes aegypti, the principal vector, occurs. This means that there is the potential for transmission through much of the tropical and subtropical world and beyond.
How does the Zika virus affect pregnancy?
If you're pregnant and infected with Zika virus, you can pass it to your baby. Zika infection during pregnancy causes a birth defect called microcephaly and other brain problems. It also may be linked to other serious problems for a baby.
What was the economic impact of Zika virus?
According to the World Bank Group, “Initial estimates of the short-term economic impact of the Zika virus epidemic for 2016 in the Latin American and the Caribbean region (LCR) are a total of US$3.5 billion, or 0.06% of GDP” (CITATION).
Is the Zika virus an epidemic or pandemic?
Epidemic and pandemic are primarily different in terms of spread of contagious, infectious, or viral illness. An epidemic is limited to one specific region while a pandemic has a worldwide spread. Zika virus is an epidemic which was reported in Brazil in Feb., 2016.
Does Zika have long term effects?
Collectively, these reports demonstrate that ZIKV infection is also detrimental to the mature nervous system and is associated with a spectrum of neurological syndromes that may culminate in long-term consequences and even mortality.
How to treat Zika virus?
There is no specific treatment for infection with the Zika virus. To help relieve symptoms, get plenty of rest and drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. The over-the-counter (OTC) medication acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) may help relieve joint pain and fever. The symptoms of Zika virus infection are similar to other mosquito-borne ...
What test is used to test for Zika?
If your doctor suspects that you may have a Zika virus infection, he or she may recommend a blood or urine test to confirm the diagnosis. The blood or urine samples can also be used to test for other, similar mosquito-borne diseases.
What is the procedure to test for Zika?
If you are pregnant and at risk of Zika virus infection, your doctor may also recommend one of the following procedures: Amniocentesis, which involves inserting a hollow needle into the uterus to remove a sample of amniotic fluid (amniocentesis) to be tested for the Zika virus.
Can you take ibuprofen for Zika?
If you're feeling ill after recent travel to an area where mosquito-borne illness is common, see your doctor. Don't take ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), naproxen sodium (Aleve) or aspirin until your doctor has ruled out dengue fever. These medications can increase the risk of serious complications from dengue fever.
Is Zika virus worldwide?
The mosquito that carries the Zika virus is found worldwide. Stay up to date on Zika virus case numbers on the CDC's Zika virus website. Your doctor will likely ask about your medical and travel history. Be sure to describe any international trips in detail, including the countries you and your sexual partner have visited, the dates of travel, ...
When is the most at risk time for a pregnant woman to become infected?
Although scientists are still trying to answer basic questions about the virus, it appears that the most at risk time for a pregnant woman to become infected is early in pregnancy. The amount of time between initial infections and the possible births of infants with microcephaly can be several months, which some health officials speculate could be the reason there’s less sense of urgency among the public. “The problem appears a little theoretical because it’s largely asymptomatic and largely in the future,” Frieden told TIME in a recent interview. “We will have babies born with microcephaly.”
Is Zika a disease?
While Zika is the most recent mosquito borne outbreak to spread rapidly through the Americas, it follows a contagion similar to other diseases that have emerged in the area in the last few years like dengue and chikungunya. Both of which can have serious side effects for anyone infected. Given how often people travel today, among other factors, health experts anticipate that Zika is not the last emerging infectious disease to make its way stateside, which is why adequate funding for such diseases remains important. In a recent Op-Ed in TIME, two public health experts argued Zika is an issue of national security.
What is the cause of Zika?
Zika virus disease is caused by a virus transmitted primarily by Aedes mosquitoes, which are also responsible for the transmission of dengue and chikungunya viruses. Researchers have been conducting several studies to get closer to an effective vaccine for the Zika virus that can help curb its spread across the U.S. and around the globe.
How long does Zika last?
Symptoms of the virus are mild and last anywhere from two days to a week. They include fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis (red eyes), muscle and joint pain, headache and malaise. Infections like dengue can also be a precursor to Zika.
When was Zika first detected?
Zika virus, which was first identified in 1947 in a rhesus monkey in Uganda, was initially detected in humans in 1952. It is primarily transmitted by mosquitoes — specifically, mosquitoes from the Aedes genus, which also transmit yellow fever, dengue and chikungunya, and there is no vaccine or medicine for it so far. Aedes mosquitoes usually bite during the day, peaking during early morning and late afternoon/evening. Sexual transmission of Zika virus is also possible. Other modes of transmission such as blood transfusion are currently being investigated.
Is Zika a disease?
The World Health Organization declared the mosquito-borne disease, which has spread across Latin American and Caribbean nations, an international health emergency on Feb. 1. Zika, which was previously known to cause only moderate cold and flu-like symptoms, is now causing multiple neurological disorders, as well as microcephaly in babies. Microcephaly is a condition that causes babies to be born with abnormally small heads.
Can you die from Zika?
It is rare for people to die from a Zika infection.
Can a blood test confirm a bacterial infection?
A blood and urine test can confirm infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Can Zika extend past the brain?
A new research published in The BMJ last week revealed that health consequences of the Zika virus for infected newborns may extend past the brain.
Which countries have Zika virus?
Since that time, Brazil and other countries and territories in Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean (including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) have experienced ongoing Zika virus transmission. An Aedes aegypti mosquito, the type responsible for transmitting Zika virus. Credit. NIAID.
What mosquitoes are responsible for the Zika virus?
An Aedes aegypti mosquito, the type responsible for transmitting Zika virus. The first cases of locally transmitted Zika virus in the continental United States were confirmed in Florida in July 2016 followed by Texas in November 2016.
How long do you have to follow a pregnant woman after she gets infected with Zika?
The participants’ infants will be carefully followed for at least one year after birth.
How many pregnant women are in the Zika trial?
The study aims to enroll as many as 10,000 pregnant women at up to 15 sites.
Where is the Zika virus?
Why NIAID Is Researching Zika Virus. Zika virus has circulated in areas of Africa and Southeast Asia but was not known to cause large outbreaks. In 2007, it caused an outbreak in a new region, Yap Island in Micronesia. In 2013, the virus caused an even larger outbreak in French Polynesia.
Can a pregnant woman get Zika virus?
In addition, returning travelers infected with Zika have passed the virus on to their sexual partners. Pregnant women infected with Zika virus can pass the infection onto their babies during pregnancy or around the time of birth. During fetal development, Zika virus can cause a serious birth defect of the brain called microcephaly, ...