Zika: the point in 7 questions

Where does the virus come from? Zika ?
He was discovered in 1947 in Uganda, on a monkey (Zika is also the name of a forest south of the capital of Uganda). The first human cases of contamination were observed in 1952 in Uganda and Tanzania.
La 1st major epidemic dates back to 2007 Micronesia.
Since then, the virus has continued to expand its territory. : Polynesia French, New Caledonia, America, Antilles, …
Currently, the epidemic spreads to Martinique and Guyana.

How is it transmitted?
The virus Zika is transmitted only by the mosquito bite tigers and mosquitoes of the genus Aedes aegyptiDirect transmission between humans is not possible.
The contamination process is as follows:

• a mosquito bites a person infected with the virus
• the virus multiplies inside the mosquito's body
• The infected mosquito in turn transmits it to everyone it bites.

To prevent the spread of the virus, people who already have Zika must absolutely protect themselves from mosquito bites.

What are its symptoms?
After being bitten by a mosquito carrying the virus Zika, incubation time varies from 3 to 12 days.

In the vast majority of cases, the infection goes unnoticed.
In other cases, it manifests itself by:

• flu-like symptoms: fatigue, headache, fever, body aches
• skin rashes
• conjunctivitis
• pain behind the eyes
• edema of the hands or feet

What are the consequences of infection with the virus? Zika ?
Most often, the infection is without consequences.
But there have been cases of neurological complications which may lead to a syndrome guillain Closed off.
The most serious consequences concern pregnant women and their babies. : a pregnant woman infected with the virus Zika can give birth to a child with microcephaly, that is to say with a perimeter lower than normal cranial (less than 33 cm) anddevelopmental anomalies cerebralIf he survives, the child will have a irreversible mental retardation.
No deaths from the virus Zika was not recorded.

Is there a treatment?
No, it does not currently exist no treatment to treat this disease.
Prescribed medications can only relieve symptoms (analgesics against pain).

Can we protect ourselves from it?
There is no no vaccine to protect against the virus Zika.
French health authorities recommend that Pregnant women to avoid traveling to areas affected by the virus, notably Martinique and Guyana, as well as Brazil and mostly South American countries.
Brazilian authorities are even recommending that women not get pregnant at this time.

It is also recommended to take certain individual measures to prevent the virus from spreading: 

• destroy mosquito larvae and their gites potentials: all backwater, even just a small saucer under a green plant, is an ideal breeding ground for tiger mosquitoes. It is therefore necessary to either remove or empty very regularly any remaining stagnant water (1 tablespoon of water is enough for tiger mosquito larvae to develop). INPES makes the following recommendations: "To reduce the presence of mosquitoes in and around your home, you must destroy the breeding grounds, that is, the mosquito's egg-laying sites. After each rain, it is advisable to visit the area around the house and remove all containers, various objects, waste, and vegetation that contain water, because it is in these water retention areas that the mosquito will lay its eggs. Rainwater storage containers must be hermetically sealed or covered with a mosquito net, saucers under flower pots must be removed, and the water in vases must be renewed at least once a week."
• As with all mosquito bite diseases, it is recommended to wear clothing that covers the arms and legs well, and to use repellents and mosquito nets.

Is France affected?
The general manager of WHO announced that the virus is spreading "explosively", with an "extremely high alert level" : the increase in international travel, whether for tourism or business, is promoting the spread of the virus internationally. Indeed, it only takes one traveler returning home after being bitten by a mosquito carrying Zika for them to become a "reservoir" of the virus.

Zika is already present in 21 countries in the Americas , where the tiger mosquito is present, with the exception of Canada and Chile, the most affected countries being Brazil and Colombia.

Europe is now also affected , as cases have been reported in the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Denmark and Switzerland.

In France, the threat is real due to the presence for several years of tiger mosquitoes (already vectors of chikungunya and dengue). The danger will be at its peak during the period of tiger mosquito activity, from May to November: it would be enough for a mosquito to bite a person carrying the virus (returning from a trip to an infected area, for example) for the epidemic to begin...

Photo credit: Close-up of a mosquito sucking blood – PlotPhoto – Shutterstock.com