Zika Virus
Zika Virus
Introduction
Zika virus disease is mainly spread by mosquitoes. For most people it is a very mild infection and isn’t harmful.
However, it may be more serious for pregnant women, as there’s evidence it causes birth defects – in particular, abnormally small heads (microcephaly).
Zika does not naturally occur in the UK. Zika outbreaks have been reported in the Pacific region, and the virus has now spread to South and Central America and the Caribbean.
Experts predict that Zika virus will spread to all countries in the Americas (including the Caribbean), with the exception of Chile and Canada.
People travelling to affected areas should seek travel health advice before their trip. You can use this AZ guide to check if the country you are visiting has a high risk, medium risk or low risk for Zika virus transmission.
It is recommended that pregnant women postpone non-essential travel to areas with active Zika virus transmission. These are areas where cases of Zika virus disease have been acquired locally, through mosquito bites, and reported by health authorities within the last three months.
If you travel to an affected area, you can reduce your risk of catching the virus by using insect repellent and wearing loose clothing that covers your arms and legs.
Reducing your risk of Zika virus infection
Before travelling, seek travel health advice from your GP/practice nurse or a travel clinic ideally four to six weeks before you go. Detailed travel health advice for your destination is also available from the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) website or the Scottish travel health service fitfortravel.
To reduce your risk of infection, you should avoid being bitten by an Aedes mosquito. The most effective bite prevention methods, which should be used during daytime and night-time hours, include:
Using insect repellent that contains DEET (N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) on exposed skin, after sunscreen has been applied. DEET can be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women in concentrations up to 50%, and in infants and children older than two months. It should not be used on babies younger than two months.
Wearing loose clothing that covers your arms and legs.
Sleeping under a mosquito net in areas where malaria is also a risk.
Symptoms of Zika virus infection
Most people don’t have any symptoms. If symptoms do occur, they are usually mild and last around two to seven days.
Commonly reported symptoms include:
- rash
- itching all over the body
- fever
- headache
- joint pain (with possible swelling, mainly in the smaller joints of the hands and feet)
- muscle pain
- conjunctivitis (red eyes)
- lower back pain
- pain behind the eyes
How Zika virus infection is treated
There is no specific treatment for Zika virus symptoms.
Drinking plenty of water and taking paracetamol may help relieve symptoms.
If you feel unwell after returning from a country that has malaria as well as active transmission of Zika virus, you should seek urgent (same day) advice to help rule out a malaria diagnosis.
If you remain unwell and malaria has been shown not to be the cause, seek medical advice.
Zika virus and Guillain-Barré syndrome
Scientists now believe that Zika virus is a cause of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a serious condition of the nervous system.
The risk of developing GBS following a Zika virus infection is currently unknown, but thought to be very low.
Information about you
If you have been infected with Zika virus, your clinical team will pass information about you on to the National Congenital Anomaly and Rare Diseases Registration Service (NCARDRS).
This helps scientists look for better ways to prevent and treat this condition. You can opt out of the register at any time.
Find out more about the register.
WHO strengthens Zika safe sex guidance
6th September 2016
Men and women returning from any area where the Zika virus is circulating should practise safe sex for at least six months to avoid the risk of spreading the disease, says the World Health Organization.
The advice applies even if a person has no symptoms.
It comes a few weeks after doctors discovered the virus in the sperm of an Italian man six months after he first had Zika symptoms.
Zika is spread in bodily fluids.
The main risk of catching the disease is from infected mosquitoes via bites.
Previously, WHO had said men without symptoms only needed to use condoms or abstain from sex for eight weeks as a precaution against spreading Zika.
Zika outbreak: What you need to know
According to experts, once a person has been infected, he or she is likely to be protected from future infections.
Zika can cause a condition called microcephaly in infants
Many people infected with Zika won’t have symptoms or will only have mild ones – a fever, rash and muscle/joint aches.
Zika in pregnancy is the major concern because the virus can damage the unborn child.
Brazil has been the hardest-hit country in terms of Zika infections and there were some concerns about hosting the Olympics there for this reason.
There have been no reports of confirmed cases of Zika virus among people who attended the Games, both during and since their return.
According to the WHO, 11 countries have reported cases of sexually-transmitted Zika.
More than 60 countries and territories have continuing Zika transmission from local mosquitoes.
Public Health England said it was reviewing the WHO’s new advice and would change its own guidance if necessary. It said the risk to people in the UK remained very low.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-37290700
Further reading
Travel Health Pro. Zika virus – update and advice for travellers including pregnant women.
WHO – Zika virus
HIV Infection and Zika Virus
Zika-Virus-Technical-report