Zika Virus and Older Adults
The Zika virus is spread to people through the bite of an infected mosquito, and it can be passed from person to person through close, intimate contact. Zika virus symptoms are usually mild, but they can last up to a week if they do appear.
How Does Zika Spread?
The Zika virus is spread to people through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, which lays eggs in and around standing water and bites more aggressively during the day but can also bite at night. It can also be transmitted through blood transfusions or sex.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Zika?
The following are the most common Zika symptoms: conjunctivitisu2014red eyes, muscle pain, and headaches. Symptoms usually last a few days to a week.
Should Older Adults Worry About Zika?
People’s immune systems deteriorate as they get older, and Guillain-Barru00e9 syndrome (GBS) is linked to both aging and the Zika virus. Age does not protect you from sexually transmitted diseases, so use condoms if you or a partner show symptoms or have recently traveled to an area where Zika is present.
Can Zika Be Prevented and Treated?
There is no specific treatment for the Zika virus, but you can treat the symptoms and take steps to stay healthy in general, such as drinking plenty of water and getting enough rest, and consulting your doctor before starting any new medications.
Is Zika deadly to adults?
Even in adults who show no symptoms of infection, infection with the Zika virus can cause brain or nervous system complications, such as Guillain-Barre syndrome.
What does Zika do to adults?
Infection with the Zika virus is linked to other pregnancy complications such as preterm birth and miscarriage, as well as an increased risk of neurologic complications in adults and children, such as Guillain-Barru00e9 syndrome, neuropathy, and myelitis.
Is the Zika virus dangerous to everyone?
Most people have a mild infection with no complications; however, it is now known that the Zika virus can be transmitted from a mother to her unborn child, which can have serious consequences for the baby, including microcephaly (a small head and brain).
Is Zika virus life threatening?
While contracting the Zika virus is usually not fatal, the virus’s long-term effects, particularly among babies infected while still in the womb, can be devastating. Zika can be passed from a pregnant woman to her fetus, and infection during pregnancy can result in a variety of serious birth defects.
Does Zika still exist 2020?
There have been no confirmed Zika virus disease cases reported from US territories in 2020, and a large number of suspect Zika cases have been tested using molecular testing and none have come back positive.
What does Zika rash look like?
The rash consists of tiny red bumps and reddish blotches, similar to the rashes of other mosquito-borne infections such as dengue and chikungunya, both of which are flaviviruses. However, unlike these other flavivirus rashes, the Zika rash was reported to be itchy in 79 percent of cases.
Who is most at risk for Zika virus?
When pregnant women were included, the overall estimated incidence of confirmed and presumptive Zika virus disease was 844 cases per 100,000 residents, with the highest incidences in people aged 20u201329 years (1,150 cases per 100,000 residents) and 10u201319 years (1,111 cases per 100,000) (Figure 1).
What are the symptoms of Zika virus in adults?
Infection with the Zika virus can cause a variety of symptoms.
- A rash. itchiness all over the body. a fever. a headache. a headache. a headache. a headache. a headache. a headache. a headache. a headache. a headache. a headache. a headache. a headache. a headache. a headache. a headache. a headache. a headache. a headache. a headache. a headache. a headache. a headache. a headache. a headache.
How long does Zika stay in sperm?
u201cWe discovered that half of the participants had detectable Zika virus particles in their blood after 15 days and in their urine after 11 days, with semen having the longest duration, with parts of the virus detected in semen for up to 4 months in a few men.
Can you get Zika if you are already pregnant?
The Zika virus can be passed from a pregnant woman to her fetus, and it is spread primarily by infected mosquitoes. You can also get Zika by having sex without a condom with someone who is infected with Zika, even if that person does not show symptoms of Zika.
Was the Zika virus a pandemic?
The Zika virus pandemic was declared a public health emergency by the World Health Organization in February 2016.
How common is the Zika virus in the world?
More than 200,000 cases of Zika virus disease were reported in that country, with approximately 8600 babies born with malformations; however, the epidemic has since subsided, and as of May 2019, no countries were reporting active Zika virus outbreaks.
What does the Zika virus do to your body?
Zika infection during pregnancy can cause serious birth defects and is linked to other pregnancy issues. Zika infection can also cause Guillain-Barru00e9 syndrome, a rare nervous system illness in which a person’s own immune system damages nerve cells, resulting in muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis.
What does Zika virus do to babies?
Babies with and without microcephaly who were infected with Zika before birth may experience damage to their eyes and/or the part of their brain responsible for vision, which may affect their visual development.
How serious is Zika virus?
The illness is usually mild, with symptoms lasting up to a week, and many people will experience only minor symptoms; however, Zika virus infection during pregnancy can result in a serious birth defect known as microcephaly, as well as other severe brain defects.