Zika fever is an illness caused by the Zika virus , a member of the genus Flavivirus . Symptoms are similar to other Flaviviruses such as Dengue fever or the Alphavirus Chikungunya but are milder in form and usually last four to seven days.
Symptoms
About 1 in 5 people infected with Zika virus become ill (i.e., develop Zika).
The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, or conjunctivitis (red eyes). Other common symptoms include muscle pain and headache. The
incubation period (the time from exposure to symptoms) for Zika virus disease is not known, but is likely to be a few days to a week.
The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week.
Zika virus usually remains in the blood of an infected person for a few days but it can be found longer in some people.
Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon. Deaths are rare.
Diagnosis
The symptoms of Zika are similar to those of dengue and chikungunya , diseases spread through the same
mosquitoes that transmit Zika.
See your healthcare provider if you develop the symptoms described above and have visited an area where Zika is found.
If you have recently traveled, tell your healthcare provider when and where you traveled. Your healthcare provider may order blood tests to look for Zika or other similar viruses like dengue or chikungunya.
Treatment
No vaccine or medications are available to prevent or treat Zika infections.
Treat the symptoms:
Get plenty of rest
Drink fluids to prevent dehydration
Take medicines, such as acetaminophen or paracetamol, to relieve fever and pain
Do not take aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen and
naproxen. Aspirin and NSAIDs should be avoided until dengue can be ruled out to reduce the risk of hemorrhage (bleeding). If you are taking medicine for another medical condition, talk to your
healthcare provider before taking additional medication.
If you have Zika, avoid mosquito bites for the first week of your illness.
During the first week of infection, Zika virus can be found in the blood and passed from an infected person to another mosquito through mosquito
bites.
An infected mosquito can then spread the virus to other people.
