Key facts about the Zika virus

The Zika virus, a mosquito-borne illness that may be linked to serious birth defects, was first identified in Uganda in 1947. Previous outbreaks were confined to a few small areas in Africa, Asia and the Pacific Islands, but the disease is now spreading rapidly in Latin America and the Caribbean

TRANSMISSION

Primarily through bite of infected Aedesmosquito – which also spreads dengue and yellow fever. Evidence suggests that virus may also be transmitted by blood transfusion, sexual contact, or from mother to foetus during pregnancy,but these instances are rare

SYMPTOMS

Include fever, rash,joint pain, red eyes(conjunctivitis) and headache. About one in five people thought to develop symptoms – illness often mild, lasting from two to seven days. Most people fully recover without serious complications. Deaths are rare

TREATMENT

No vaccine or antiviral medicine available. Patients advised torest and drink plenty of fluids. Prevention entails avoiding contact with mosquitoes. Health officials recommend covering up,using insect repellent and keeping windows closed or screened

MICROCEPHALY

Virus suspected of causing brain defect in babies, resulting in reduced head size.Affected children face learning disabilities or death if brain is very underdeveloped. Microcephaly cases in Brazil have surged from average of 163 per year to almost 4,000 since October 2015

GUILLAIN-BARRE SYNDROME

Rare disorder in which body’s immune system attacks part of nervous system,
causing weaknessand sometimes paralysis. Most patients recover,but syndrome can be deadly. Cases linked to Zika have been reported in Brazil and French Polynesia

TRAVEL ADVICE

CDC recommendsthat pregnant women postpone travel to areas where Zika is spreading locally. List includes 20 Latin American and Caribbean countries as far north as Mexico – plus Samoa and Cape Verde. Northeastern Brazil hardest hit by virus


Sources: Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), WHO, wire agencies

Pictures: AP, Wikimedia, Flickr/Tina Franklin, Getty Images, Newscom