Zika virus has returned again and most of the countries including India are concerned about it. Different countries have released advisory about Zika virus. Zika virus infection or Zika fever is mainly caused by infected Aedes mosquito. Mild fever, red eye, rashes, muscle pain etc are the main symptoms of Zika virus infection.
There are no specific vaccines available to treat Zika virus infection and it spreads very quickly in the region where someone is infected. If someone is infected in your neighborhood and a mosquito bites him/her, the mosquito itself will get infected and when same mosquito bites someone else, that person will also get infected. That’s how the Zika virus spread very quickly.
Zika virus infection can spread very quickly through mosquito bites from one person to another in the family and hence it is important to take precaution and keep yourself protected from mosquito bites. News of Zika virus infection has started appearing all over again but with a little bit of precaution and awareness about how does it spread, what are the symptoms and possible methods of treatments can help you in many ways.
And that’s what I want to discuss in this post. So let’s dig deeper and understand everything about Zika virus infection.
Zika Virus Infection
Symptoms of Zika virus infection are more or less similar to the symptom of dengue and chikungunya that’s mild fever, joint pain, muscle pain, headache, rashes and weakness. So how long does it take after infection for these symptoms to appear? It may appear in a couple of days or it may take even a week for these symptoms to appear.
Ways to Prevent Zika Virus
Since the Zika virus spreads through mosquito bites one of the best way to prevent Zika virus infection is to avoid mosquito bite and keep yourself protected from mosquito;
Zika virus infected mosquito bites only in day time, so make sure to keep the door and windows closed.
Spray mosquito repellents at home especially in day time to avoid mosquitoes (read label instruction carefully before applying).
Use mosquito net while sleeping at home because that’s probably the safest and easiest possible way to prevent mosquitoes that may cause Zika infection.
Mosquito that carries dengue and chikungunya virus carry Zika virus so if there are reports of dengue or chikungunya, then make sure to protect yourself from mosquito bites.
Take professional help to keep mosquitoes away by fogging and other pest control methods.
If there are reports of Zika virus infection or even dengue or chikungunya, then wear full sleeve clothes and keep yourself covered.
Preventing yourself from mosquito bites can be the best way to deal with Zika infection. There are no specific vaccine available as of now to treat Zika virus and hence the best way to prevent Zika virus infection it to keep mosquitoes away. We have published many posts in the past, especially this and this is worth checking.
Treatment of Zika virus infection
Since last couple of days, there has been lots of reporting on treatment of Zika virus infection. An Indian company based of Hyderabad is claiming to have developed the treatment for Zika virus infection. You may like to check thesereports to know more on this claim. But officially there is no vaccine available for the prevention and treatment of Zika virus infection.
Symptoms of Zika virus infection is more or less similar to dengue and chikungunya so here are a few things you should do as the treatment of Zika virus infection;
Consult a Physician for investigation and general medicine for fever and pain.
To avoid dehydration, drink lots of fluid including water, juice, milk etc and keep yourself hydrated.
Take rest and avoid movement.
Keep yourself protected from mosquito bites to ensure no one else gets infected.
Over to you
There is no reason to panic about Zika virus infection. All that you need to keep yourself protected from Zika virus infection or Zika fever is precaution from mosquito bites. Take special care of yourself and your family and protect them from mosquitoes, especially when you know of a reported case of Zika virus infection in your city or a city where you are traveling to. It spreads from one infected person to another through mosquito bites and hence keep yourself protected from mosquitoes, especially in day time because that’s when these mosquitoes bites.
Awareness can be a great tool to deal with Zika fever and hence I urge you to share this post across the social networks.
Live healthy. Live happy.
Ps: This post is based on information available on public domain.
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