Zika virus causes microcephaly in newborns
The zika virus is not new, it was discovered in 1947 in Uganda when it came to controlling yellow fever. It has gone virtually unnoticed since then until in 2007 there was an outbreak on the island of Yab, in northern Australia where 8187 people suffered from the disease. Since then the number of ca
The zika virus is not new, it was discovered in 1947 in Uganda when it came to controlling yellow fever. It has gone virtually unnoticed since then until in 2007 there was an outbreak on the island of Yab, in northern Australia where 8187 people suffered from the disease.
Since then the number of cases has been increasing and the virus has spread throughout the world. Countries such as Brazil, the United States, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Suriname and Venezuela already have patients with the Zika virus. Some of the most affected are newborns since the virus causes malformations such as microcephaly.
Microcephaly in babies affected by the Zika virus
There is a health alert, especially in the affected countries, since causes microcephaly in newborns, a neurological disorder by which affected babies are born with the smallest head. As the child grows, his face continues to grow but the skull does not so the child has a disproportionately long face and sunken forehead.
Microcephaly in these cases caused by the Zika virus, develops during pregnancy and is usually associated with some degree of mental retardation, although in 15% of cases the child has a normal intelligence. This disorder has no cure and, currently, it can not be corrected.
The Pan American Health Organization alert has warned of an increased risk of the appearance of microcephaly in babies and malformations when the disease is caused by the mother during the first trimester of pregnancy. Brazil, is one of the countries where the number of cases of babies with microcephaly aumentado has increased the most, and 3,530 cases related to the Zika virus have already been recorded between October 2015 and January 2016, which is why the authorities alert pregnant moms to take precautionary measures against mosquito bites, such as using repellents, placing mosquito nets on doors and windows and avoiding water accumulations in pots or other containers.
Questions and answers about the zika virus- How is the virus transmitted?
In the same way as dengue or chikungunya, through the bite of the female mosquito 'Aedes aegypti', although there have been cases of sexual transmission.
- Is the virus transmitted by breastfeeding? It is not transmitted when breastfeeding the baby.
- What are your symptoms? Red spots on the skin, fever, muscle and joint pains and headaches. The symptoms disappear after seven days except joint pains that persist longer.
- How is the Zika virus cured? There is no vaccine to cure it and the only treatment so far is through the use of paracetamol to control pain and fever.
