Zika Virus Disease (ZVD) has made headlines recently as it was reported for the first time in Kerala. It’s a mosquito-borne flavivirus that was initially identified in monkeys in Uganda in 1947 and then in humans in 1952, found in both Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania. This article provides an overview of the disease, focusing on its transmission, symptoms, treatment, and relevant government programs.
Transmission of Zika Virus
ZVD is primarily transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, specifically Aedes aegypti, which also spreads diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever. However, this isn’t the only method of transmission; it can also pass from mother to fetus during pregnancy, through sexual contact, blood transfusions, organ transplantation, and via blood products.
Symptoms of the Disease
Common symptoms of ZVD are mild and may include fever, rash, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise, or headache. Interestingly, most individuals infected with the Zika virus don’t develop symptoms at all. However, when contracted during pregnancy, the virus can lead to babies being born with microcephaly, a condition characterized by a smaller than normal head size, and other congenital malformations, collectively known as congenital Zika syndrome.
Treatment Options
Currently, there’s no specific vaccine or medication for treating Zika. The main approach to managing the disease is symptom relief, which can involve rest, rehydration, and the use of acetaminophen for fever and pain control.
Government Programs and Initiatives
Various programs have been initiated by the government to handle diseases like Zika. These include the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, designed to monitor disease trends and maintain IT-enabled, laboratory-based disease surveillance systems. There’s also the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, the central agency responsible for the prevention and control of six vector-borne diseases in India. Another initiative, Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), under the National Health Mission, has a surveillance system specifically for monitoring birth defects like microcephaly.
Other Mosquito-Borne Diseases
Mosquitoes are carriers for several other serious diseases. Dengue, for instance, often leads to symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle, and joint pains, and it bears a characteristic skin rash similar to measles. The dengue vaccine CYD-TDV, also known as Dengvaxia, has received approval in around 20 countries.
Chikungunya is another disease transmitted by mosquitoes, in particular, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. It’s characterized by abrupt fever, severe joint pain, and could include headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, or rash. As of now, there’s no specific antiviral drug treatment or commercial vaccine for chikungunya.
Yellow fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease also spread by infected mosquitoes. Its name derives from the jaundice that some patients develop. Common symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. There exists a safe and affordable yellow fever vaccine known as 17D. However, there have been reports of multisystem organ failure following vaccination.
Last Modified: February 15, 2024