What You Need To Know About Zika

BOSTON (CBS) – Understandably, there is a lot of confusion out there about Zika.  What it is.  What it means.  And who should be worried.  Part of the confusion stems from the fact that the infection is relatively new to these parts of the world, and scientists don’t yet have all the answers. But there are some things we do know and there are some things that we all can do to help protect ourselves and our loved ones. What is Zika? Zika is a virus that is spread through the bite of specific type of mosquito, namely, the Aedes species mosquito (Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus). What are the symptoms of Zika? About 80-percent of people infected with Zika don’t have any symptoms at all. If you do develop symptoms they are usually mild, including fever, headache, rash, joint and muscle pains and red eyes.  In rare cases, Zika has been associated with Guillain-Barre syndrome, a nervous system disorder causing muscle weakness, but Zika is rarely fatal. Symptoms usually appear 2-to-14 days after the bite of an infected mosquito. Once you get Zika, you are unlikely to get the infection again. How is Zika treated? There is no specific medicine used to treat Zika.  Sick patients are treated with supportive care such as fever-reducers and pain medication. Why are public health officials so concerned about the spread of Zika? While most people who get Zika don’t get sick at all or have a mild flu-like illness, pregnant women who are infected can pass Zika along to ...
Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Health Local News Syndicated Local Dr. Mallika Marshall zika Source Type: news