What You Need To Know About Zika
BOSTON (CBS) - Understandably, there is a lot of confusion out there about Zika. What it is. What it means. And who should be worried. Part of the confusion stems from the fact that the infection is relatively new to these parts of the world, and scientists don't yet have all the answers.
But there are some things we do know and there are some things that we all can do to help protect ourselves and our loved ones.
What is Zika?
Zika is a virus that is spread through the bite of specific type of mosquito, namely, the Aedes species mosquito (Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus).
What are the symptoms of Zika?
About 80-percent of people infected with Zika don't have any symptoms at all.
If you do develop symptoms they are usually mild, including fever, headache, rash, joint and muscle pains and red eyes. In rare cases, Zika has been associated with Guillain-Barre syndrome, a nervous system disorder causing muscle weakness, but Zika is rarely fatal.
Symptoms usually appear 2-to-14 days after the bite of an infected mosquito.
Once you get Zika, you are unlikely to get the infection again.
How is Zika treated?
There is no specific medicine used to treat Zika. Sick patients are treated with supportive care such as fever-reducers and pain medication.
Why are public health officials so concerned about the spread of Zika?
While most people who get Zika don't get sick at all or have a mild flu-like illness, pregnant women who are infected can pass Zika along to their fetus or unborn baby. This can cause serious birth defects including microcephaly (small head), brain defects, hearing loss, vision problems and poor growth.
Can you only catch Zika from infected mosquitoes?
While most cases of Zika are due to the bite of an infected mosquito, it appears that the virus can also be passed from person-to-person through blood transfusions and through sexual contact even if there are no symptoms. It is not clear how long Zika "lives" in bodily fluids like semen, vaginal fluids, urine or blood.
How can you protect yourself from Zika?
Unfortunately, there is currently no vaccine to prevent Zika, though scientists are actively working to develop one.
In the meantime, according to the CDC, there are several things you can do to reduce your risk. Pregnant women, women who plan to become pregnant and their sexual partners should be particularly careful.
To protect against mosquitoes:
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors
- Use an EPA-registered insect repellant (following label instructions carefully)
- Use air conditioning while indoors
- Keep windows and screen doors closed
- If air conditioning is not available, use a mosquito bed net
- Avoid travel to areas with Zika, especially if you're pregnant or plan on becoming pregnant
To protect against sexual transmission:
- Use condoms or avoid having sex
- Pregnant women with a sexual partner who may have been exposed to Zika are advised to avoid sex during the rest of their pregnancy or use condoms consistently and correctly
