In 2016, cases of Zika virus were recorded in Russia. What is this disease, and what threat does it pose to others, let's try to figure it out. On the territory of the Russian Federation this is not the first case of the disease. Earlier it was found 5 more infected people who are currently fully recovered.
Zika virus in Russia is an extremely rare phenomenon. It was introduced by travelers from the Caribbean. All infected were on vacation in the Dominican Republic. The carriers of the virus are mosquitoes of the genus Aedes. Particularly dangerous disease for women during pregnancy. The infection provokes the development of microcephaly in the fetus, which leads to serious damage to the brain of the unborn child.
Where was the disease first discovered?
As already mentioned, the Zika virus in Russia was first detected in February 2016. But initially, information about the disease appeared back in 1947. Scientists have identified this disease in rhesus monkeys living in the Zika forest (Uganda), it is in honor of this area that the virus got its name. In humans, the disease was diagnosed in the 50s of the last century.
Over time, scientists have established a relationship between dengue fever and Zika virus. The carriers of both pathologies are mosquitoes of the genus Aedes aegypti.
Within 60 years after the identification of the pathogen, no more than 15 cases of human disease were recorded. Since the disease has been a rare occurrence for all these years, the world community did not take seriously the possible threat. They started talking about the disease again in 2007, when the infection was detected on the Pacific island of Yap. In 2013, the infection struck the inhabitants of French Polynesia, and already in 2015 it spread to the largest state in South America - Brazil.
What danger lurks under the Zika virus
It is worth recognizing that the panic mood associated with the onset of Zika fever is not unfounded. The infection causes serious abnormalities in the development of the fetus, as it can be transmitted from mother to child, through the placenta. The greatest danger to the disease is precisely for children in the womb. If a woman caught Zika virus during pregnancy, the consequences lead to fetal microcephaly. Due to pathology, his skull becomes abnormally small, the child has deviations in the work of the visual and auditory organs and dementia.
Since the disease has not been fully studied, scientists do not directly associate Zika fever with manifestations of microcephaly, although they do not completely deny that the disease can produce such deviations.
Another serious complication of exposure to the virus is Guillain-Barré syndrome. Initially, this disease affects the lower limbs, partially paralyzing them. But with the development of the disease, paralysis affects other parts of the body, including the lungs, which ultimately leads to asphyxiation and can lead to death.
Where in 2016 Zika virus was detected
In which countries were the most serious outbreaks of Zika in 2016? Interestingly, if previously endemic areas were located only on the African continent, now the virus has spread far beyond their borders. Outbreaks of disease were recorded in tropical climates:
- Central African countries
- in Indonesia and countries located in southeast Asia;
- countries of South and Central America;
- in India.
In the spring of 2016, an epidemic swept through Brazil. Approximately 500 thousand citizens of this country have suffered a disease that causes Zika virus. Symptoms of the disease appear in the form of:
- fever
- rashes on the skin;
- migraine headaches;
- joint pain.
Gradually, the disease spread to Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala. According to statistics, outbreaks of infection were recorded in 23 countries. People infected with the virus have been identified in Canada, Denmark, France, Sweden, and even in Russia.
How are Zika fever transmitted
As doctors have established, there are three ways to infect the virus described:
- when bitten by a mosquito belonging to the genus Aedes aegypti;
- transplacental - during pregnancy, the infected mother can transmit the virus to the baby;
- during intimacy with an infected person.
After infection with the virus, the patient forms a stable immunity to the disease. An ill person no longer poses a threat to others, as he becomes non-infectious.
Symptoms of the disease
How does the Zika virus manifest itself? Symptoms of the disease do not occur immediately after infection. The incubation period can last from 3 to 12 days, after which a rash appears on the patient’s body and face, pain in the head, joints and spine is felt. A fever appears, which may be accompanied by chills, conjunctivitis, and sometimes nausea and vomiting.
But not always the symptomatology has such vivid and painful manifestations. According to statistics, only 1 out of 5 sick people have a more severe course of the disease.
Zika fever treatment
Unfortunately, a vaccine for this strain of the virus does not exist. Since in most cases Zika fever is quite easy, no specific treatment is required.
To relieve pain, they take analgesics of a wide range of activities that can be purchased at any pharmacy. Elevated temperature is easy to lower with conventional antipyretic drugs. It is also recommended to have more rest and drink enough water.
Zika virus in Russia is a rather rare occurrence. However, if you have recently visited a country with a tropical climate, it is possible that you caught this infection. Therefore, if you suspect that you have become infected with Zika virus, and the symptoms are pronounced, and the disease is severe, you should definitely consult a doctor.
As we already said, the disease poses the greatest danger to pregnant women, especially in the first trimester, when all organs and systems are formed in the embryo. Although it is not proven that it is the virus that leads to the development of microcephaly in the fetus, many experts attribute the appearance of such a pathology to it.
In Brazil, where there was the largest outbreak in the population, the diagnosis of microcephaly was confirmed in 270 newborns. About 3.5 thousand children have signs of pathology and are being examined to accurately confirm the disease.
Are there any ways to protect yourself from Zika fever?
Since there is no vaccine for the virus, prevention is the only way to protect yourself from the disease. Mosquitoes of the genus Aedes aegypti live in countries with a tropical climate, therefore it is recommended to residents of these regions and visitors to:
- use repellents from these insects;
- Do not open windows in rooms if they are not equipped with mosquito nets;
- for walks on the street you need to wear clothes that cover the body as much as possible.
Does the virus threaten Russian citizens
Many people are interested in the question - is there a Zika virus in Russia, and how real is the threat of infection for the inhabitants of the country. We hasten to answer that since no species of mosquitoes of the genus Aedes are found on the territory of the Russian Federation, the danger to its citizens is minimal. Although in 2016 there were 6 cases of infection with fever, the epidemiological nature of the disease was not carried. Zika virus in Russia appeared thanks to tourists who rested in the Dominican Republic and were infected after being bitten by insects.
To prevent the spread of the disease, authorities tightened airport sanitation. A system has also been developed to diagnose Zika fever. The Institute of Virology has begun to study its pathogen, which will eventually develop a vaccine. The Rospotrebnadzor of the Russian Federation published a list of states whose visits are not safe for pregnant women because of the current epidemiological situation in these regions. The list includes 27 countries where outbreaks were recorded.