Five Karnataka villages come under surveillance after Zika virus outbreak

Five Karnataka villages come under surveillance after Zika virus outbreak

Subject : Science and Tech

Section: Health

Context:

The Karnataka Health Department, which is closely monitoring the situation in  Chickballapur after a mosquito pool in Thalakayalbetta village of the district was found to be positive for Zika, has sent serum samples of 30 pregnant women from five villages in the containment zone to the National Institute of  Virology (NIV), here, for testing.

About Zika Virus:

• It is a mosquito-borne virus that was first identified in the Zika Forest of Uganda in 1947.

Transmission

• It is primarily transmitted to humans through the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes, particularly Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus.
• It can also spread through sexual contact, blood transfusion, and from an infected mother to her baby during pregnancy or childbirth.

Symptoms

• Many people infected with this virus do not experience any symptoms (asymptomatic).
• When symptoms do occur, they are often mild and include fever, rash, joint pain, muscle pain, headache, and red eyes (conjunctivitis).
• Symptoms typically appear two to seven days after being bitten by an infected mosquito and can last for several days to a week.

What are the complications?

• This virus infection is usually mild, it can have serious consequences for pregnant women and their babies.
• Infection during pregnancy can lead to birth defects such as microcephaly, as well as other neurological disorders in the baby.
• It has also been linked to Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder that can lead to muscle weakness and paralysis.

Treatment: There is no specific treatment available for Zika virus infection or disease.