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Zika : Symptoms, Diagnosis, & Treatment

Zika Virus has become widespread in all over the world. Zika was first identified in Uganda by scientists in 1947. While it is common throughout large areas of Africa and Asia, no cases had been reported in the Western Hemisphere until last year. In 2007, a major Zika epidemic occurred on Yap Island, Micronesia. Recently, with the confirmed cases which have occurred in countries throughout Central and South America, including Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Suriname, Paraguay, Guatemala and Colombia, this virus is successfully taken our attention.


Here are some points about Zika that are taken from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website :

Symptoms
1. About 1 in 5 people infected with Zika virus become ill (i.e., develop Zika).
2. The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, or conjunctivitis (red eyes). Other common symptoms include
muscle pain and headache. The incubation period (the time from exposure to symptoms) for Zika virus disease is not known, but
is likely to be a few days to a week.
3. The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week.
4. Zika virus usually remains in the blood of an infected person for a few days but it can be found longer in some people.
5. Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon.
6. Deaths are rare.

Diagnosis
1. The symptoms of Zika are similar to those of dengue and chikungunya, diseases spread through the same mosquitoes that transmit
Zika.
2. See your healthcare provider if you develop the symptoms described above and have visited an area where Zika is found.
3. If you have recently traveled, tell your healthcare provider when and where you traveled.
4. Your healthcare provider may order blood tests to look for Zika or other similar viruses like dengue or chikungunya.

Treatment
1. No vaccine or medications are available to prevent or treat Zika infections.
2. Treat the symptoms:
a. Get plenty of rest.
b. Drink fluids to prevent dehydration.
c. Take medicine such as acetaminophen to relieve fever and pain.
d. Do not take aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen and naproxen. Aspirin and
NSAIDs should be avoided until dengue can be ruled out to reduce the risk of hemorrhage (bleeding). If you are taking
medicine for another medical condition, talk to your healthcare provider before taking additional medication.
7. If you have Zika, prevent mosquito bites for the first week of your illness.
a. During the first week of infection, Zika virus can be found in the blood and passed from an infected person to another
mosquito through mosquito bites.
b. An infected mosquito can then spread the virus to other people.


Source : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

More detailed information can be found on CDC’s Zika virus web page for healthcare providers
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