Language
Country/Area
No result found
The surprising way the Zika virus spreads: Do you know what the ways are?
Since 2015, the Zika virus has caused a widespread epidemic in South America, particularly in Brazil, affecting millions of people. Although the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) declared the epidemic over in November 2016, experts say that the virus remains a long-term and major public health problem that requires attention.
According to estimates, the number of people infected with the Zika virus in Brazil is as high as 1.5 million, and more than 3,500 cases of microcephaly in infants were reported between October 2015 and January 2016.
Zika virus is mainly transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which are found in tropical and subtropical areas. In addition to traditional mosquito transmission, the virus can also be transmitted through sexual contact and from pregnant women to their fetuses. Its potential impact is not limited to the infected person itself, but the threat to pregnant women and their fetuses is even more alarming. The Zika virus family also includes serious diseases such as dengue fever and chikungunya fever.
As for how the Zika virus spreads, scientists have found that it is still somewhat mysterious. In March 2015, the Brazilian Ministry of Health first reported a case of rash and other symptoms to the W.H.O., which was diagnosed as Zika virus five months later. What this process shows is the rapid spread of the Zika virus and the difficulty of diagnosis, especially when symptoms are mild. About 80% of people infected with the Zika virus are asymptomatic, making it impossible for infected people to know their infection status immediately.
From 2013 to 2014, the Zika virus spread from French Polynesia to Brazil, affecting the entire South America and the Caribbean. Therefore, many countries around the world have begun monitoring and warning to remind the public to pay attention.
After being infected with the Zika virus, adults may experience mild symptoms such as low-grade fever, conjunctivitis, and joint pain, but in some cases, non-infectious complications such as Guillain-Barré syndrome may also occur. will happen. These conditions have forced many countries to issue travel warnings and ask people to think about family planning in the coming period.
Multiple transmission routes
The scientific community is also constantly updating research on the transmission route of the Zika virus. In addition to mosquito bites, sexual transmission of the virus has also begun to attract widespread attention. This means that partners may also be able to infect each other, a feature that has been documented in studies from several countries.
During the 2016 epidemic, nine countries had reported cases of sexual transmission of Zika, further complicating prevention and control efforts.
After pregnant women are infected, the Zika virus can cross the placenta, affecting the health of the fetus and causing a series of birth defects such as microcephaly. As a result, many health officials are advising pregnant women and couples trying to conceive to exercise extreme caution and delay birth plans if possible until more is known about the specific effects of the virus on the fetus. This also makes the control of Zika virus more urgent.
Prevention and control measures
In response to the Zika virus epidemic, governments and health institutions around the world have launched a number of preventive measures. For example, using experience in dengue fever prevention and control to strengthen environmental management of areas that may breed mosquitoes, it is important to remove stagnant water. Using long-sleeved clothing and mosquito nets are also effective ways to reduce bites. Additionally, the World Health Organization recommends that authorities provide mosquito repellent in public areas and encourage people to use it.
During the 2016 Rio Olympics, the Brazilian authorities' epidemic prevention measures included launching a series of educational publicity and clean-up work to control the spread of the Zika virus.
Even if the epidemic is alleviated, global climate change and new environmental conditions may make the spread of the Zika virus an ongoing challenge. Countries need to continually adapt their public health strategies to respond to the threat of Zika virus and other mosquito-borne diseases and to adapt to changing social and environmental conditions.
The understanding of the Zika virus continues to deepen. Have you taken any countermeasures to protect the health of yourself and your family?
