Although Zika is a disease that causes milder symptoms than dengue and with rapid recovery, Zika virus infection can cause some complications such as development of microcephaly in infants, and others such as Guillain-Barré syndrome, which is a neurological disease, and the increased severity of lupus, an autoimmune disease.
However, although Zika is related to very serious diseases, most people do not have any complications after being infected with the Zika virus (ZIKAV).
Understand why Zika can be serious
The Zika virus can be serious because this virus is not always eliminated from the body after the contamination, and so it can affect the immune system causing diseases that can arise weeks or months after infection. The main diseases related to Zika are:
1. Mycocephaly
It is believed that microcephaly can happen due to a change in the immune system that causes the virus to cross the placenta and reach the baby causing this poor brain formation.
Therefore, pregnant women who had Zika at any stage of pregnancy, may have babies with microcephaly, a condition that prevents the growth of the brain of babies, leaving them severely affected.
Usually microcephaly is more severe when the woman was infected in the first trimester of pregnancy, but having Zika at any stage of pregnancy can lead to this malformation in the baby, and women who are infected at the end of pregnancy have a baby with less complications.
See in a simple way what microcephaly is and how to take care of a baby with this problem by watching the following video:
2. Guillain-Barré syndrome
Guillain-Barré Syndrome can happen because after infection by the virus, the immune system is deceived and begins to attack the healthy cells of the body. In this case, the affected cells are those of the nervous system, which cease to possess the myelin sheath, which is the main characteristic of the Guillain-Barré.
Thus, months after the symptoms of Zika virus decrease and be controlled, tingling sensation in some areas of the body and weakness in the arms and legs, which indicate guillain-barré syndrome, may appear.
In case of suspicion, one should go to the doctor quickly to prevent the progression of the disease, which may even cause paralysis of the muscles of the body and also of respiration, being potentially fatal.
3. Lupus
Although apparently not causing lupus, there has already been recorded the death of a patient diagnosed with lupus several years after infection with the Zika virus. Therefore, although it is not known exactly what the link between this disease and lupus is, what is known is that lupus is an autoimmune disease, where the defense cells attack the body itself, and there is a suspicion that infection that the mosquito causes may further weaken the body, being potentially fatal.
So all people who are diagnosed with lupus or any other disease that affects the immune system, such as during AIDS and cancer treatment, should be given extra care to protect themselves and not get Zika.
There is also a suspicion that the Zika virus can be transmitted through the blood during labor and also through breast milk and unprotected sex, but these forms of transmission have not yet been proven and appear to be rare. The mosquito bite Aedes Aegypti remains the main cause of Zika.
See the following video on how to feed yourself to recover from zika faster.
How to protect yourself from Zika
The best way to avoid Zika and the diseases it can cause is to avoid mosquito bites by combating their proliferation and taking measures such as using repellent and taking B vitamins that can act as a natural repellent, shocking Aedes Aegypti .
Kiss on the mouth does Zika transmit?
Despite the fact that the presence of Zika virus in the saliva of people infected with this disease, it is still unknown whether it is possible to pass Zika from one person to another through contact with saliva, through kissing and using the same glass, dish or although this possibility exists.
Fiocruz has also been able to identify the Zika virus in the urine of infected people, but it is also not confirmed that this is a form of transmission. What is confirmed is that the Zika virus can be found in the saliva and urine of people infected with the disease but apparently it can only be transmitted:
- By the bites of the mosquito Aedes Aegypti;
- Through intercourse without a condom and
- From mother to child during pregnancy.
It is believed that the virus is not able to survive inside the digestive system and so even if a healthy person kisses someone who is contaminated with Zika, the virus can enter through the mouth, but when it reaches the stomach the acidity of this place is enough to eliminate the virus, preventing the manifestation of Zika.
However, to prevent, it is advisable to avoid close contact with people who are with Zika and also avoid kissing unknown people because it is not known whether they are ill or not.
If you think you're with Zika, see:
- All symptoms to know if you are with Zika virus
Learn to differentiate: Dengue, Zika Virus and Chikungunya
