Nursing Assignment in ZIKA VIRUS

ZIKA VIRUS

Introduction : Zika Virus is first diagnosed in a rhesus monkey in the year of 1947. In 1954 the Zika Virus infection was detected in humans for the first time in Nigeria. In 2007 the epidemic of Zika fever was reported from the Island of Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia.

Some species of Aedes such as Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito), Aedes aegypti (Yellow fever mosquito) of family Flaviviridae and genus Flavivirus are the carrier who transmits Zika.

Symptoms : The symptom includes headache, conjunctivitis (redness of eye), vomiting, joints and muscle pain, flu like fever and rashes also in case of children and adults and the these symptoms last till three to seven days along with some of the evidences of the virus. But in case of pregnancy if the foetus affected then it may lead to miscarriage, congenital birth defects and stillbirth also. If the symptoms are severe then the brain of chid get reduced and development of epilepsy cerebral palsy and some other problems occur in later stages of life.

Diagnosis : The Zika infection detects either the species directly or indirectly the evidence of the infection and the procedure also vary into two separate test includes:

NAT (Nucleic acid testing) is a procedure to detect the genetic evidence of Zika Virus by the urine and blood sample.

IgM (Immunoglobulin M) is a procedure to detect the proteins which are called antibiotics that are produced by the patient’s body in respond to the infection. The blood test is used to diagnosis of the antibiotics within a time period of four days of the appearance of symptoms.

Preventions: Till the date there are no vaccinations against the Virus Zika but to avoid transmissions we should avoid the mosquito bites by wearing the long sleeved clothes, placing the mosquito nets on the bed, avoiding the areas with the standing water on the grounds or in anything or by emptying tanks or water containers or using insect repellent.