Zika Virus – What it is, Causes, Symptoms and Treatments
Zika Virus – What it is, Causes, Symptoms and Treatments , you will know all this and much more, because the Zika Virus is still causing a lot of fear and panic in the Brazilian population. In addition, the Zika Virus has victimized people in Brazil and may be related to the birth of babies with microcephaly.
Although it is not yet known exactly what is leading to the increase in microcephaly cases in northeastern Brazil and also in other countries, it is believed that this disease is related to the Zika Virus , although there are also rumors that it may be related to vaccination against rubella, to the genetically modified mosquito created to combat Aedes and that the larvicide used in water reservoirs to reduce mosquito reproduction are also related to this fetal malformation.
What is Zika Virus: Zika Virus is a Flavivirus, transmitted by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which also transmits two other diseases: dengue and chikungunya. The disease usually does not bring major complications to those who are infected. However, in 2015, the Ministry of Health presented reports that bring evidence of a relationship between the Zika Virus and congenital microcephaly, which is when the pregnant woman is infected and contaminates the fetus, affecting the development of the baby’s brain and skull.
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Causes of the Zika Virus: Aedes aegypti, the mosquito that transmits dengue and chikungunya fever , is also one of the main means of transmission of the Zika Virus . Discovered in 1947 by scientists when researching rhesus monkeys from the forests of Uganda, Africa, the contagion in humans only occurred in 1968 in Nigeria. It was, however, in 2007 that the first cases of Zika fever were identified outside Africa and Asia, and in Brazil, the virus probably arrived from Central America.
Zika fever , caused by the Zika Virus , is caused by the bite of a mosquito infected with the Virus . The transmission is, therefore, vectorial, through the bite of mosquitoes belonging to the genus Aedes. The mosquito that transmits dengue can also transmit Zika fever , so, more than ever, an effective fight against the multiplication of these mosquitoes is needed.
Recently it has been proven that the Zika Virus can also be sexually transmitted between humans. The time between the bite and the first symptoms lasts, on average, 10 days, and it is extremely important to seek help in the face of the first symptoms.
Symptoms of Zika Virus: Symptoms of Zika include low-grade fever , muscle and joint pain, as well as red eyes and red patches of skin. The disease is transmitted by the same mosquito as dengue, and symptoms usually appear 10 days after the bite.
Normally, the transmission of the Zika Virus occurs through the bite of the Aedes Aegypti, but there are already cases of people who have infected others through sexual contact without a condom. One of the biggest complications of this disease occurs when the pregnant woman is contaminated with the Virus , which can cause microcephaly, a serious neurological disease in her baby.
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, diclofenac and piroxicam should also be avoided in the treatment of Zika Virus for the same reason. The drugs mentioned above are used in the treatment of the Zika Virus are used in the symptomatic treatment, that is, symptoms such as fever , body aches and conjunctivitis associated with the condition are controlled.
Treatment for Zika Virus: Treatment for Zika Virus , specifically, does not exist. What exists is a set of care that must be given to anyone who is bitten by the mosquito and, consequently, has contracted the Zika Virus .
Starting with isolation, people who are suspected of having been infected with the Zika Virus should be kept under mosquito nets during occurrences of fever , which is the acute phase of the disease. This care is taken to avoid contamination by transmitting mosquitoes. Kept in this way, mosquitoes cannot bite them and therefore do not contaminate themselves, avoiding spreading
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On the other hand, the treatment of the Zika Virus is basically done with analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs. None of these drugs can be acetylsalicylic acid based. As in those infected with dengue and chikungunya, drugs that use this substance can cause bleeding due to its anti-clotting effect.