Reports that the Zika virus (ZIKV) has spread through most of Latin America and North America has caused major concerns. With global travel so prevalent these days, the World Health Organization has issued a state of emergency last week.
So far in the Philippines, there has only been one reported case from a study in Cebu in 2012.
History. The Zika virus was first discovered in the African continent in the late 1940s.
According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control, before 2015, ZIKV outbreaks had only been in Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands such as Borneo.
Since last year, there had been increasing confirmed infections in Brazil and the rest of Latin America, as well as in the U.S.
Health concerns. ZIKV is of a major concern because the virus has been linked to birth defects in infants born to mothers possibly infected by the virus during pregnancy.
The birth defect is in the form of microcephaly, a condition in which the head and brain stop to develop, and are, therefore, smaller than the rest of the body.
Microcephaly causes physical and mental retardation that could be severe enough to affect the life expectancy of a child to just days, weeks, or months after birth.
Those who do survive usually require a lifetime of intense, demanding rehabilitative care.
ZIKV has also been linked to Guillian-Barre Syndrome. Some people who had been infected with ZIKV developed GBS shortly after the infection.
This is a condition in which the body decides to attack its own peripheral nervous system. This affects how the brain sends signals to the rest of the body, starting with the extremities like the legs and arms. The symptoms range from tingling of the extremities to complete paralysis, and even death. Most people recover from GBS without long-term problems.
Transmission. ZIKV is transmitted or spread by mosquitoes common in the Philippines, and most areas of the world. It is the same mosquitoes that also carry the viruses for dengue fever and chikungunya fever.
The virus usually remains in the blood of an infected person for a week, but may be found in some persons for a longer period of time. If a mosquito bites an infected person, it can potentially infect the next person it bites.
This virus may also be transmitted through sexual contact. It has been found in the semen of infected men. In one infected case, the virus was detected in the semen but not in the blood. ZIKV may live in semen longer than in blood, detectable for up to 10 weeks after infection.
There have been reports of the virus being detected in the saliva of infected persons as well. But whether it can be transmitted through saliva, the experts say that further study is required.
Symptoms. The US Center for Disease Control says that only about one in five persons who get infected will develop symptoms or become sick.
The symptoms will usually appear about a week after being infected. The symptoms are similar to that of dengue fever which include fever, rash, joint pain, or conjunctivitis (red eyes).
Other common symptoms include muscle pain and headache. Most people who get sick have mild symptoms, and will fully recover.
Prevention. The best way to prevent Zika virus infection is to reduce exposure to any mosquito bites. Wear long sleeves and long pants when outside in the early morning and early evening hours when the mosquitoes possibly carrying the virus are most active.
If you have traveled to any of the areas on alert right now (Brazil and Latin America, Africa, Borneo, Thailand), and you experience any fever, rash, muscle and/or joint pains, and eye redness within two weeks of your return, please see a doctor.
These symptoms are similar to dengue so you may want to see a doctor anyway if you have any of these symptoms after having been exposed to mosquito bites.
Government health agencies in countries affected are advising people who have traveled there, and are experiencing symptoms to be tested for ZIKV infection.
It is recommended that they abstain from sexual contact at least for the first two to four weeks of infection, or use protection such as condoms. This is especially important if the partner is pregnant.
There has been documentation of one male transmitting ZIKV to his sexual partner prior to having any symptoms.
So far, only pregnant women who have visited these countries are advised to be tested even if they have no symptoms.
As of last week, an article on CNN reported that so far, the Philippines has five hospitals ready to assist patients infected with ZIKV, and is working on getting more hospitals trained and equipped to handle ZIKV cases across the country.
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Author’s email: floridamsn@safe-mail.net
