The Zika virus, which until recently was an exotic disease that occasionally affected the inhabitants of Africa and some island states, has been declared a global threat. Its effect has been linked to microcephaly in children. We live far from South Africa, but the reality is that both people and diseases travel a lot. Let's figure out what to fear and how to behave.
Zika virus: what it is and is it worth worrying about
Zika virus: why you need to worry
If a pregnant woman has contracted the Zika virus, it increases the risk of having a baby with brain damage. There is no vaccine against the virus, there are no specific drugs, and there is no way to protect the child from its effects. The only good news is that the virus and its complications are rare.
in 20% of cases it is manifested by fever, rash, joint pain, conjunctivitis. Most of the sick get off with a slight increase in temperature or do not feel symptoms at all. All signs of the disease disappear in two days, a maximum of a week.
Zika virus belongs to the genus Flaviviruses and is a relative of yellow fever and dengue fever. All of these diseases are carried by mosquitoes.
Until recently, the Zika virus has received little attention. It was rare and was not associated with serious illnesses. But a 2015 outbreak in Brazil found a link between the virus and microcephaly in newborns.
Even Rospotrebnadzor pregnant women refrain from traveling to countries where the virus is widespread.
The exact link between Zika virus and microcephaly has not been proven, but it is highly probable. The virus reached Brazil recently, possibly during the 2014 FIFA World Cup. This was followed by an outbreak of cases of microcephaly. The virus can spread further: the 2016 Summer Olympics will be held in Rio.
The Brazilian government reports 4,000 births of children with a head circumference of less than 33 cm. For comparison, there are usually no more than 150 such cases per year in the country. The figure may be overblown: the majority of children are healthy, despite the small size of their heads. In addition, some have other causes of microcephaly. But even if these exceptions are thrown away, everything else points to the harm of the Zika virus.
Does anyone need to worry other than pregnant women
It's worth worrying. A possible complication that affects not only pregnant women is. This is a rare disease in which the body's immune system attacks its own nerve cells. As a result, paralysis can develop. The syndrome is triggered by infectious diseases - from enteritis to influenza.
The link between Zika virus and Guillain-Barré syndrome, as mentioned, has not been proven. But in Brazil, for example, there are spikes in the incidence of the Zika virus and this syndrome over time.
The Zika virus can also be sexually transmitted. In the United States, there is already such a case: one of the partners traveled to a region where the virus is widespread and infected the other. At least two more similar cases (one occurred in, the other in) indicate such a possibility. Scott Weaver, an infectious disease specialist, commented on these cases in an interview:
If I developed Zika symptoms and my wife was in her reproductive age, I would have additional contraception for several weeks.
Scott Weive
If a sexual transmission route exists, it rarely occurs. But this does not mean that it should be dismissed. So if you travel to dangerous areas, don't forget about protection and home.
There is one more important point. Even if you are not planning a child, but theoretically you can become pregnant, you need to follow the same precautions as pregnant women. In other words, before the trip, in it and for some time after it, you need to protect yourself with special attention and carefully choose repellents. You never know what.
Will repellents help
They will help. Nothing gives a 100% guarantee, but repellents with DEET in the composition effectively repel mosquitoes. Treatments with natural ingredients will work too.
safe when used correctly, even during pregnancy. Update your protection in time, because after a few hours, the effect of repellents decreases.
What regions are dangerous and will the Zika virus come to Russia
A complete list of countries that can be dangerous to visit is given. The list contains more than 25 items, including island states.
Microcephaly outbreaks are reflected in the map below. This is a screenshot where you can find detailed information.
Microcephaly outbreak map
For the first time, the Zika virus was recorded in Africa in 1947, but there it did not become epidemic, there were only isolated cases.
It is carried by mosquitoes of the species. It can be identified by small white spots. Insects are active during the day. Outbreaks of diseases are not observed in all regions where mosquitoes live, but since there are vectors, then the disease can appear.
Distribution of Zika virus vectors
In Russia, carriers of the disease are unlikely to take root. These mosquitoes prefer warmer climates. The only spreading option is to bring the virus from abroad, from hot countries.
What risk does a trip to a dangerous region pose for an unborn child?
Small. In the same Brazil, the mentioned 4,000 cases of microcephaly make up 0.1% of all newborns.
The risk of fetal injury is comparable to the risk posed by cytomegalovirus during primary infection during pregnancy. And before, until there was a vaccine against measles, rubella and mumps, it was rubella that was the main cause of microcephaly. That is, the risk of getting microcephaly from the Zika virus is even less than from common diseases. So even in Brazil it is difficult to get sick, especially when using repellents. But it still makes sense for pregnant women to postpone the trip.
How to tell if your child is affected by the Zika virus
Be sure to tell your doctor that you have been in a high-risk country if you are pregnant. Especially if you have a rash, fever, or red eyes. The disease is treated symptomatically, like any viral disease. Pregnant women may need additional tests:
A blood test by PCR for the detection of a virus or for the presence of antibodies in the blood serum.
Amniocentesis - taking amniotic fluid for analysis for the presence of a virus. But this method in itself carries a risk for pregnancy, therefore it is used as a last resort.
Regular ultrasound scans every 3-4 weeks to monitor your child's brain development.
The tricky part is that you can't predict exactly how test results will affect your chances of having a baby with microcephaly. The same ultrasound examination cannot show the development of this disease during pregnancy up to 24 weeks.
So if you suddenly catch the Zika virus, then you find yourself in a difficult situation with many unknowns. No one knows what a positive blood test will lead to and how the virus will affect a child.
How Zika Virus Affects Children Later
“Microcephaly is a black box,” writes a Brazilian journalist (Ana Caceras). The doctors said that she would not walk, talk. But they were wrong.
However, in most cases, doctors are right: microcephaly entails serious consequences, children die early. Moreover, the Zika virus has just the most difficult cases.
While this is a new discovery, it is difficult to predict how children born with microcephaly due to the virus will develop. Cytomegalovirus, for example, destroys stem cells in the brain, so nerve tissue just doesn't develop as it should. The Zika virus can work the same way.
Microcephaly is irreversible, treatment can only achieve the maximum possible development of such children.
What are they doing around the world in connection with this?
Without a vaccine and a specific medicine, much cannot be done. Countries compose and advise pregnant women to refrain from travel to dangerous places.
In Brazil and El Salvador, it is proposed to postpone pregnancy (in El Salvador - until 2018). It is not so easy to follow this advice (especially in where contraception is expensive and the most popular method of contraception is sterilization).
World Health Organization in several directions:
Development of diagnostics and tests. This is more important than developing a vaccine and a cure. Without quality testing, you cannot tell who needs treatment and how far the disease has spread.
Control of the mosquito population. People need protective equipment to reduce the risk of infection.
Providing medical care to countries experiencing an epidemic. For example, they need neurologists and physical therapists to help children with microcephaly.
WHO does not impose restrictions on visits to countries where the virus is spread. But some countries do not recommend that pregnant women visit dangerous regions.
In the near future, the most effective way to combat the Zika virus will be pest control - mosquito control. This is the elimination of reservoirs with stagnant water, and the use of insecticides, and the genetic makeup of male mosquitoes (which do not leave offspring), and the infection of mosquitoes with wolbachia - bacteria that make insects infertile. It sounds creepy, but "microcephaly" doesn't sound any better.
Since mosquitoes spread many diseases, the hysteria surrounding the Zika virus can help fight them as well.
The vaccine is already in and may be tested by the end of the year. The blind spots in the impact of the Zika virus must be closed in the coming years: affected children will grow and develop as much as possible, and doctors will look for the most effective ways to rehabilitate.
So now it is difficult to say how dangerous the virus is. While this issue is being studied, it is better to play it safe.
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