Zika outbreak: what you need to know Meaning,symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment.

Key facts

1. Zika virus disease is caused by a virus transmitted by

Aedes mosquitoes.

2. People with Zika virus disease usually have a mild
fever, skin rash (exanthema) and conjunctivitis. These
symptoms normally last for 2-7 days.
3. There is no specific treatment or vaccine currently
available.
4. The best form of prevention is protection against
mosquito bites.
5. The virus is known to circulate in Africa, the Americas,
Asia and the Pacific.

Introduction
Zika virus is an emerging mosquito-borne virus that was
first identified in Uganda in 1947 in rhesus monkeys
through a monitoring network of sylvatic yellow fever. It
was subsequently identified in humans in 1952 in Uganda
and the United Republic of Tanzania. Outbreaks of Zika
virus disease have been recorded in Africa, the Americas,
Asia and the Pacific.
Genre: Flavivirus
Vector: Aedes mosquitoes (which usually bite during
the morning and late afternoon/evening hours)
Reservoir: Unknown
Zika virus is spread to people through mosquito bites. The
most common symptoms of Zika virus disease are fever,
rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The illness is
usually mild with symptoms lasting from several days to a
week. Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon.
In May 2015, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)
issued an alert regarding the first confirmed Zika virus
infection in Brazil. The outbreak in Brazil led to reports of
Guillain-Barré syndrome and pregnant women giving birth to
babies with birth defects and poor pregnancy outcomes.
In response, CDC has issued travel notices for people
traveling to regions and certain countries where Zika virus
transmission is ongoing.
  Symptoms
About 1 in 5 people infected with Zika virus become ill
(i.e., develop Zika).
The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash,
joint pain, or conjunctivitis (red eyes). Other common
symptoms include muscle pain and headache. The
incubation period (the time from exposure to symptoms)
for Zika virus disease is not known, but is likely to be a
few days to a week.
The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for
several days to a week.
Zika virus usually remains in the blood of an infected
person for a few days but it can be found longer in some
people.
Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon.
Deaths are rare.
Diagnosis
The symptoms of Zika are similar to those of dengue and
chikungunya , diseases spread through the same
mosquitoes that transmit Zika.
See your healthcare provider if you develop the
symptoms described above and have visited an area
where Zika is found.
If you have recently traveled, tell your healthcare provider
when and where you traveled.
Your healthcare provider may order blood tests to look for
Zika or other similar viruses like dengue or chikungunya.
Treatment
No vaccine or medications are available to prevent or
treat Zika infections.
Treat the symptoms:
Get plenty of rest.
Drink fluids to prevent dehydration.
Take medicine such as acetaminophen to relieve
fever and pain.
Do not take aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-
inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen and
naproxen. Aspirin and NSAIDs should be avoided until
dengue can be ruled out to reduce the risk of
hemorrhage (bleeding). If you are taking medicine for
another medical condition, talk to your healthcare
provider before taking additional medication.