Introduction
An emerging mosquito-borne virus.
First identified in Uganda in 1947 in rhesus monkeys.
Genre: Flavivirus
Vector: Aedes mosquitoes
History
Zika is a Forest (zika meaning “overgrown”), near the East African
Signs and Symptoms
fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise, and headache.
Complications
Guillain-Barré syndrome, Microcephaly.
Transmission
Bite of an infected mosquito Aedes aegypti.
Diagnosis
Presence of Zika virus RNA in the blood or other body fluids.
Treatment
No specific treatment currently available.
Prevention
No specific vaccine currently available.
Reducing mosquitoes & its source.
Reducing contact between mosquitoes and people. By:
- Insect repellent; using physical barriers such as screens, closed doors and windows; and sleeping under mosquito nets.
- Empty, clean or cover containers that can hold water such as buckets, flower pots or tyres.
- Spraying of insecticides, larvicides.
- Travellers should take precautions from mosquito bites.
(Source:: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/zika/en/)
