Does Zika virus affect the baby's brain development? Will it cause mental retardation?

Everyone must be very unfamiliar with the recently emerged Zika virus. Once a pregnant woman is infected, it may cause microcephaly in the fetus, causing panic. So will the Zika virus affect the baby's brain development? Will it cause mental retardation?

What is Zika virus

The main mode of transmission of Zika virus is through the bite of mosquitoes carrying Zika virus. Zika virus was first discovered in macaques in the forests of Uganda in 1947. Previously, only sporadic cases of human infection were found in Africa and Asia. Until 2015, the first local Zika virus case in the Americas appeared in Brazil. Since last year, the epidemic has swept across Central and South America, and cases have also been reported in Southeast Asian regions such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Maldives.

The Zika virus will be present in the blood of the infected person from the first to the eleventh day of the onset of the disease. At this time, if a vector mosquito bites the infected person, the vector mosquito will carry the Zika virus. When this vector mosquito bites other healthy people, these healthy people will be infected with the Zika virus.

Since the Zika virus can exist in the blood, it may be transmitted through blood transfusion in epidemic areas. There are also reports that it may be transmitted through sexual intercourse. In addition, if there are no mosquitoes that transmit the disease, it will not be directly transmitted from person to person, so please do not panic.

Symptoms of Zika virus infection

People of any age can be infected if they are bitten by a mosquito carrying the Zika virus, but not everyone will develop symptoms, only about 25% of those infected will develop symptoms.

Typical symptoms are similar to those of dengue fever, including fever, joint pain, rash, conjunctivitis, headache, stomach pain, pain behind the eyes and nausea.

Does Zika virus affect brain development?

It is currently known that Zika virus may be transmitted vertically from mother to child, causing microcephaly in the fetus. If infected during infancy, the symptoms are similar to those described above. The typical symptoms are very similar to those of dengue fever, such as fever, joint pain, etc., and will not affect brain development.

The main way of transmission of Zika virus mentioned above is through mosquito bites that carry Zika virus. Therefore, avoiding mosquito bites is the way to prevent it, especially for pregnant women and mothers who are planning to become pregnant.

How to prevent Zika virus

1. Avoid going to epidemic areas: You can check the latest international Zika virus epidemic situation at the Centers for Disease Control. Currently, the epidemic mainly occurs in Central and South America and Southeast Asia. If it is not necessary, it is recommended to avoid going there as much as possible to reduce the risk of infection.

2. Take anti-mosquito measures: wear light-colored long-sleeved shirts and long pants, stay indoors with air conditioning as much as possible, and use mosquito nets to avoid mosquito bites when sleeping without air conditioning. Apply mosquito repellent containing DEET to exposed skin and reapply regularly according to the label instructions. If you have any suspected symptoms after returning to China, please see a doctor as soon as possible and tell the doctor your travel history.

3. Please remove any stagnant water containers at home to reduce the number of mosquitoes

Can Zika virus be transmitted through breastfeeding?

When the baby is in the mother's belly, if the mother is bitten by a mosquito carrying the Zika virus, it may cause microcephaly in the fetus. Breastfeeding alone will not cause the baby to be infected with the Zika virus, so mothers can rest assured.

What mosquito repellent can effectively repel mosquitoes

DEET is an effective and widely used ingredient in mosquito repellents. However, many websites sell mosquito repellents that claim to be organic, but the ingredients have not been confirmed and it is uncertain whether they can completely repel mosquitoes. Therefore, it is recommended to choose mosquito repellents containing DEET approved by the Ministry of Health and Welfare to ensure the mosquito repellent effect.