Question

What is currently known about the Zika Virus? Include what family the virus belongs to, the mode of transmission, mode of pathogenesis, diagnostic tests and approaches to treat and prevent this infection, and its sequelae.

Answer 1

Answer :- Zika fever (also known as Zika virus disease) is a Zika virus-caused illness. Some cases do not have symptoms but they are usually mild when present and may look like dengue fever. Fever, red eyes, joint pain, headache, and a maculopapular rash can be symptoms. The signs generally last under seven days.

family of this virus Flaviviridae and genus Flavivirus,

Mode of transmission :-

Zika virus is mainly transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected Aedes type mosquito (Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus). They are the same mosquitoes that transmit chikungunya and dengue viruses.

Usually, these mosquitoes lay eggs in or near standing water, in items like buckets, cups, animal dishes, flower pots, and vases. We like to bite humans, and stay close to people indoors and outdoors.

Mosquitoes that spread day and night bite of chikungunya, dengue and zika.

A mosquito is infected with a virus when it bites an infected person over the period where the virus can be detected in the person's blood, usually only during the first week of infection.

Infected mosquitoes will then transmit the virus through bites to others.

Zika virus is well adapted for growth in diverse hosts, ranging from arthropods to vertebrates. The viral attachment to non-identified cellular receptors is mediated by glycoprotein E (envelope). It is accompanied by endocytic uptake, then nucleocapsid uncoating, and viral RNA release into the cytoplasm.

There are different forms of zika virus diagnostic tests including:- serology testing, ELISA, nucleic acid testing, and the last one is viral culture.

There is no known antiviral therapy for the Zika virus. Treatment helps to alleviate symptoms of rest, water, and drugs — like acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) — to alleviate discomfort and fever in the joints. There's no vaccine to kill the Zika virus. Yet there are currently some vaccines undergoing clinical trials.

Neurological sequelae may include hallucinations, difficulties with vision or hearing, and developmental disabilities. Symptoms differ according to the degree of brain disease. There is now medical evidence that microcephalus is caused by Zika virus infection during pregnancy.