Clipping of news on Brazilian Culture, Law and Citizenship
04.12.2015
This article was translated by an automatic translation system, and was therefore not reviewed by people.
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Virus known in medicine since the late 40s, the Zika became a topic in Brazilian homes after it was confirmed that children of infected pregnant women can be born with microcephaly, an irreversible malformation. According to the infectious disease the Health Department of the Federal District, Eliana Bicudo, has been reported in the medical literature that Zika can be transmitted through breast milk and by sperm.
The best known transmission of the virus, which began to circulate strongly in Brazil this year, is the mosquito Aedes aegypti, also transmits dengue and chikungunya fever. By the beginning of November, 18 states had registered internal transmission Zika, where more than 17,000 cases were reported.
Besides causing microcephaly, it is already registered in the medical literature that the Zika can also trigger the Guillain-Barré syndrome syndrome, which is an autoimmune response of the body, usually related to infection by certain viruses or bacteria.
According to the Ministry of Health, symptoms fever, red eyes, red spots with itching, body aches affect only about 20% of those infected, the others do not realize they have been infected with the virus. "Therein lies the danger, you might be a silent disease, which brings a high risk for pregnant and can transmit it", he pointed out the expert.
For those with the typical picture, treatment is based on symptoms, using paracetamol or dipyrone, as with dengue fever and chikungunya fever. Usually after a maximum of seven days the patient is fully recovered.
According to Eliana, a great difficulty to see if microcephaly is due to the Zika virus is the virus only circulates in the blood for about five to seven days. "The doctor asks and the mother often does not remember if he had the picture, not even sure had."
What the research indicates is that whoever had Zika is immune to the virus, but there is no tests that detect who is immune. According to the infectious disease, the researchers now seek if there was a mutation in the virus, since effects such as microcephaly have never been reported in almost 70 years of knowledge of the body.
The examination for confirmation of infection Zika has not yet come to the private network of laboratories and according to the Secretary of Health Surveillance, Ministry of Health, Antonio Nardi, the folder is looking for ways to lower the diagnostic kit. For now, according to Eliana Bicudo, the result takes about two months.
As the relationship between Zika and microcephaly is very recent, it is not known whether the virus can cause consequences to the baby at any time during pregnancy. "The first 3 or 4 months of pregnancy is the period that there is a greater risk that a pregnant woman having Zika virus infection will result in a defect in children. But as studies are very recent, we can not say whether, after contact with the virus, the child will have no problem. Ideally it to take care against mosquito bites the whole pregnancy, "warned the infectious Dalcy Albuquerque, the Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases.
The expert warns that often those who have symptoms of the disease may confuse these signs with fatigue or a mild virus> However, if the patient is pregnant, no sign shall be communicated to the doctor.
There is no vaccine against Zika: the only way to avoid the disease is to control the mosquito. Therefore, the Ministry of Health has strongly called upon the population to eliminate standing water deposits, inspect their homes at least once a week, destroying potential breeding, and avoid junk, debris, bottles and to seal water tanks .
It is recommended for pregnant women to walk long pants and wear closed shoes or half, as the mosquito takes crawling habits, poking more legs and feet. Another option recommended by the Ministry of Health is the use of repellent products for topical use, which can be applied directly to the skin. But it is important to check if the product is registered at Anvisa and follow the instructions described on the label. Consultation cosmetic regularized repellents can be made at Anvisa's website.
According to the Ministry of Health, the Aedes aegypti is diurnal and act more in the early morning and late afternoon.
* Collaborated reporter Salete Sobreira, the Radio Journalism
Source: Agency Brazil
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This article was translated by an automatic translation system, and was therefore not reviewed by people.