Zika Virus

As many as 80% of the people infected by the Zika virus do not present with any of the symptoms. However, those who do have mild symptoms also seem to present them 3 to 14 days after being bitten by the Zika-carrying mosquito (according to WHO). The symptoms include:

• Fever
• Red rashes 
• Itching
• Pink eye or conjunctivitis
• Joint pain
• Headache
• Muscle pain
• Lower back pain

While the Zika virus is primarily a vector-borne disease, it spreads through:

• The bite of an infected Aedes mosquito.
• Infection during pregnancy can be transmitted to newborn babies, which causes deformities such as microcephaly or other congenital malformations including congenital Zika syndrome
• Zika virus is also spread through vaginal, oral or anal sex
• Blood transfusion

While there is no vaccine against the Zika virus, you can take precautions to avoid the disease and prevent its spread:

• Apply mosquito repellents with at least a 10% concentration of DEET (N, N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide) on the skin after applying sunscreen lotion. However, this preventive measure should not be used on babies younger than two months.
• Wear light-coloured clothing, including full-sleeved shirts and trousers, keeping most parts of the body covered. Do this especially if there are a lot of mosquitoes in your area or if you are travelling through a mosquito-infested area.
• Sleep under mosquito nets and avoid places with standing water which can be breeding grounds for mosquitos.
• Wear condoms to reduce the risk of infection or spreading the Zika virus if you or your partner has travelled to an area that has had a Zika virus outbreak, or avoid all sexual contact for a couple of weeks.
• Pregnant women are advised not to travel to countries that have had a recent history of Zika virus outbreak, to reduce the chances of transmission to the mother as well as the foetus.

Doctors are able to suspect the presence of Zika virus infection based on the patient's symptoms and through their travel history of having visited an area that had Zika virus transmission or has a large presence of mosquitos. However, a blood test or urine test is usually required to diagnose Zika virus infection.

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With no vaccine and no treatment available for Zika virus infection, most patients are treated for the symptoms they develop. As symptoms in most cases are mild, common medicines to reduce fever and pain, and supportive medical care are enough to manage patients. Patients are also advised to get plenty of rest and drink a lot of fluids, but alert their doctors if the symptoms persist or worsen.

Complications from Zika virus include miscarriage or preterm birth. It can also cause neurological disorders such as the Guillain-Barré syndrome, neuropathy and myelitis. 

Congenital Zika syndrome can lead to birth defects such as microcephaly (children born with smaller or underdeveloped heads), brain damage, eye damage (vision problems in babies), reduced motion due to joint problems or limited movement due to excessive muscle tone after birth.