Title: What is Zika?<br/>Author: Jon Mark Hirshon<br/><a href='http://umem.org/profiles/faculty/96/'>[Click to email author]</a><hr/><p>
Zika virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus. </p>
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The flavivirus genus includes multiple other human viral infections, including yellow fever, West Nile, dengue and tick-borne encephalitis.</li>
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The primary vector for Zika virus is <em>Aedes aegypti, </em>though<em> Aedes albopictus</em> can also transmit it.</li>
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While outbreaks have been previously reported in Africa, Asia and the islands of the Pacific, it was first reported in the Western Hemisphere in May 2015. </p>
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Per the CDC, as of January 15, 2016, local transmission had been identified in at least 14 countries or territories in the Americas. </li>
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There has been no local transmission (yet) in the Continental US.</li>
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Clinical Disease:</p>
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One in five infected become symptomatic</li>
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Clinical illness is usually mild and lasts for several days or a week
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Severe disease is uncommon, though Guillain-Barre syndrome has been reported in patients following suspected Zika infection</li>
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Fatalities are rare</li>
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<strong>Of note: congenital malformations have been seen in pregnant women infected with Zika</strong></li>
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Characteristic clinical findings can include:
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acute onset of fever,</li>
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maculopapular rash,</li>
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arthralgia,</li>
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conjunctivitis</li>
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Diagnosis and Treatment</p>
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Consider the diagnosis in symptomatic travels returning from affected areas</li>
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RT-PCR can be used on serum specimens from the first week of illness</li>
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There is no current commercial test available</li>
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Treatment is symptomatic and supportive
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No specific antiviral therapy</li>
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Prevention</p>
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Avoid mosquito bites
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Wear long sleeves and pants</li>
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Use insect repellents when outdoors (such as DEET)</li>
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Delay travel to known affected areas if you are pregnant</li>
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<fieldset><legend>References</legend>
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http://emergency.cdc.gov/han/han00385.asp</p>
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