Zika epidemic

Zika Epidemic 2015- Present :Zika virus was first reported in Brazil. It became epidemic in February 2016. Group of scientists discovered temporal and geographical distribution of Zika virus from 1947 to Feb 2016. In October 2015, Brazil reported an association between Zika virus infection and microcephaly. Outbreaks and evidence of transmission soon appeared throughout the Americas, Africa, and other regions of the world. To date, a total of 86 countries and territories have reported evidence of mosquito-transmitted Zika infection.

• Zika virus disease is caused by a virus transmitted primarily by Aedes mosquitoes, which bite during the day.
• Symptoms are generally mild and include fever, rash, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise or headache. Symptoms typically last for 2–7 days. Most people with Zika virus infection do not develop symptoms.
• Zika virus infection during pregnancy can cause infants to be born with microcephaly and other congenital malformations, known as congenital Zika syndrome. Infection with Zika virus is also associated with other complications of pregnancy including preterm birth and miscarriage.
• An increased risk of neurologic complications is associated with Zika virus infection in adults and children, including Guillain-Barré syndrome, neuropathy and myelitis.

 Reference: https://www.cdc.gov/ , https://www.who.int/

Image credit: www.cdc.gov (Free for commercial use) In this CDC photo, a laboratory technician looks into a sealed container of mosquitoes scheduled to undergo testing. In New Orleans, local experts collect mosquitoes for virus testing as part of a citywide mosquito surveillance program-CDC.

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