Mosquito-borne Diseases February 5, 2019

All You Want To Know About Zika Virus

There is nothing wrong in calling Mosquitoes as “mini monsters” for the fact that they are the carriers of many deadly pathogens capable of spreading fatal diseases in humans. These include Malaria, Dengue, Yellow Fever, Chikungunya, Japanese Encephalitis and many more to name. Zika virus is another addition in the list of diseases caused by mosquito bite.

Facts

• Zika virus is caused by the bite of an infected mosquitoes species called Aedes mosquitoes primarily Aedes aegypti which are found in tropical regions.

• These mosquitoes bite usually during day, mostly in early morning and late afternoon.

• It is also recorded that Zika virus can also transmitted through sexual intercourse and blood transfusion.

• This mosquito borne disease was first identified in monkeys in Uganda in the year 1947 (CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017).

• It was later recorded in humans in 1952 in the parts of Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania and other parts of Africa, Asia, The Pacific and America.

• Zika infection can also pass to developing fetuses from mothers while pregnancy causing severe birth defects of the brain like microcephaly, a condition where a baby’s head is abnormally smaller than other healthy babies. It is also responsible for causing problems like miscarriages, still births and other birth defects (Sonja, Denise, Jamieson and et al. 2016).

• It is also investigated that Zika virus can severely affect the immune system in adults. It has been studied that the virus can trigger Guillain Barre Syndrome, a condition where a person’s own immune system attacks healthy nerve cells and damages them that results into muscle weakness (Smith and Mackenzie, 2016).

Symptoms

The common symptoms of Zika Virus are:

• Fever

• Headache

• Skin Rashes

• Joint and muscle pain

• Conjunctivitis

These symptoms can normally last for 2-7 days among infected individuals.

Prevention

There is no specific vaccine to cure Zika virus. However there are certain measures, which can be taken to prevent the spread of this deadly virus. These include:

1. Prevent mosquito bite

•  Since Zika virus is transmitted through bite of infected mosquitoes, the best measure to prevent Zika is to protect yourself and your family from mosquito bites.
• Wear clothes that can cover major body parts as mosquitoes tend to bite exposed body parts like hands and legs.
• Choose light colored fabrics to wear as mosquitoes are attracted towards darker shades thereby reducing the chances of mosquito bites.
• Clear mosquito breeding grounds like water collected in plant pots, buckets, birdbaths, etc. in your surroundings regularly as Aedes mosquitoes tend to breed in fresh waters.
• Use mosquito net while sleeping outdoors or places that are not screened with windows and doors.

2. Use of suitable mosquito repellents

• Suitable herbal and chemical mosquito repellents can be used to avoid mosquitoes from biting.
• Use Fabric roll on with natural ingredients like Goodknight Fabric Roll on which are safe for children and suitable for protecting them from mosquito bites while they step out of home.
• Essential oils from various herbs like lavender, rosemary, eucalyptus, citronella, lemongrass, catnip, cloves act as excellent natural mosquito repellents that are found to be effective in preventing mosquitoes from biting. The leaves of these herbs can be crushed and their juice can be applied on body parts to keep Aedes mosquitoes away.
• Use repellents like Goodknight Gold Flash System for bedrooms and other indoor places to avoid mosquitoes from biting in early morning and night during sleep.

3. Sexual transmission

• Since this virus can be transmitted through sex from one infected partner to other it is very important to use condoms to avoid the transmission of this deadly virus.

Remedies

• Get plenty of rest.
• Drink plenty of fluids to keep yourself well hydrated.
• Get the symptoms treated by seeing a professional healthcare provider (CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017).