Zika virus in Russia: symptoms, modes of transmission, consequences. Zika virus: many unexpected facts you need to know

Until recently, few people had heard of the Zika virus. And not surprisingly, isolated cases of the disease caused by it were recorded only in some countries in Africa and Asia. But this was only true until 2007 (the year in which the first outbreak of Zika disease was officially documented in the Western Pacific). Subsequently, a gradual spread of the virus in an easterly direction was noted. In particular, the Zika fever pathogen reached the shores of South and Central America and the Caribbean in 2015, and in 2016, two cases of the disease were already registered in the United States.

How dangerous is the disease caused by the Zika virus?

WHO forecast for Zika disease is bleak: gradual spread expected dangerous virus throughout South and North America. In this regard, the world medical community, in particular WHO and PAHO (Pan American Health Organization), began active work to implement laboratory diagnostics and strengthening surveillance of this infection in countries experiencing outbreaks. Zika fever (this is the name given to the disease caused by this virus) is usually quite easily tolerated by those who are sick; its symptoms persist for a maximum of 7 days. That is, the disease itself does not pose a particular danger to humans, but it can leave behind quite serious consequences. Pregnant women are most at risk of experiencing them, since according to scientists, the Zika virus can cause a serious developmental defect in the fetus - microcephaly. With this pathology, the baby is born with a disproportionately small head and reduced brain size; subsequently, the child develops various psychomotor impairment. In addition, there is a definite connection between infection with the Zika virus and the development of autoimmune diseases. neurological diseases, in particular Guillain-Barré syndrome, which manifests itself as flaccid paresis, autonomic disorders and so on. Research into the complications and consequences of Zika disease continues, so it is clear that if a pregnant woman becomes infected with this virus, she will definitely give birth to a sick child, and other patients will develop autoimmune disorders, it is forbidden.

The Zika virus is a relative of the causative agents of diseases such as Dengue fever and yellow fever. Infection with the virus occurs through the bite of a mosquito of the genus Ae.des, which initially lived only in the tropical regions of Africa, today its habitat has expanded significantly. In addition, some sources contain information that sexual transmission of this infection is possible. However, this fact requires scientific confirmation, so for now the main enemy for humans in terms of the risk of infection with the Zika virus remains the mosquito.

Which countries are unsafe to travel to?

Cases of Zika fever have been registered in 27 countries of the Western Hemisphere, in particular in Brazil (more than half a million cases), Puerto Rico, the USA, Argentina, etc. WHO currently does not recommend introducing any restrictions on travel to these countries. However, unless there is a strong need for pregnant women, it is better to refrain from visiting South and North America, as well as the Pacific region. If you have any questions regarding the spread of Zika disease in a particular country, you should contact the health and tourism authorities of that state.

Is the Zika virus dangerous for Russians?

On January 27, the head of the Russian Ministry of Health, Veronika Skvortsova, stated that the Zika virus epidemic does not threaten Russia. The virus is not transmitted from person to person; the source of infection is only the Aedes aegypti (“Egyptian mosquito”). Not on the territory of the Russian Federation natural foci supporting this infection. However, certain preventive measures were nevertheless undertaken. Thus, flights from the 27 countries in which the virus was detected were taken under control. In parallel, the Institute of Virology of the Ministry of Health began developing a vaccine against the Zika virus.

Clinic and diagnosis of Zika fever

The first symptoms of Zika fever usually appear a few days after the mosquito bite. They are expressed as follows:

• Fever.
• Spotted rash on the skin.
• Inflammation of the conjunctiva of the eyes.
• Muscle soreness.
• Headache.
• Weaknesses.

Basic methods for diagnosing Zika disease:

• Isolation of virus from blood samples.

There is no specific treatment for the disease caused by the Zika virus; only symptomatic drugs are used (paracetamol as an analgesic and antipyretic drug).

Preventive measures

There is no vaccine for Zika fever, so the main preventative measure is of this disease– prevention of mosquito bites.

No sooner had the world recovered from the Ebola epidemic than a new danger arose. Mosquitoes “gave” the Zika virus to humanity. This disease has been detected in 23 countries and is rapidly spreading throughout the planet. One of the reasons for this phenomenon may be global warming. Climate change has given the mosquitoes that carry the virus larger areas to breed. It is possible that the disease itself has become more contagious.

Today, January 28, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that the Zika virus has “explosive” pandemic potential, meaning it infects very quickly. a large number of of people. On this moment over 1.5 million cases are known, but WHO does not exclude that the number of infected will reach 4 million (mainly in the countries of South and North America).

WHO will hold an emergency meeting next week. The meeting will take place on February 1 in Geneva. During the meeting it will be decided whether to announce high level danger.

WHAT IS ZIKA VIRUS

The virus is a flavivirus. This group of diseases includes West Nile fever, dengue fever and chikungunya. It was first discovered in rhesus monkeys in Uganda in 1947 as part of a monitoring network for the sylvatic form of yellow fever. Then, in 1952, the virus was identified in people in Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania.

WHY IS THE ZIKA VIRUS SO DANGEROUS?

The virus is carried by biting mosquitoes (genus Aedes, which is translated from Greek as “disgusting”), which carry many other diseases. They live mainly in tropical and subtropical zones. The virus is also transmitted sexually. The person bitten becomes a carrier while experiencing active symptoms. The danger is that the symptoms are very mild and the person may not suspect that he has this virus and not another illness. However, the virus can only be detected after special tests, and symptoms appear in only 1 in 4 people.

The Zika virus passes through the amniotic fluid of a pregnant woman's fetus and causes terrible diseases in newborns. First, the disease can cause microcephaly in children - babies are born with an underdeveloped brain and a tiny head. There is no cure for this.

For example, in Brazil, 4,180 cases of microcephaly have been reported in women infected with Zika during pregnancy since November 2015.

Secondly, this disease causes Guillain–Barré syndrome. Loss of sensation in the arms and legs or paralysis develops, which can lead to death.

For example, to combat the birth of disabled children over the next two years.

SYMPTOMS

People with Zika virus disease have fever, mild headache, fever, malaise, joint pain, skin rash, and redness of the eyes (sometimes conjunctivitis). However, the virus can only be detected after special tests, and signs of the disease appear in only 1 out of 4 people. Symptoms usually persist for 2 to 7 days.

IN WHICH COUNTRIES WAS THE ZIKA VIRUS FOUND?

According to official data, the infection has long been detected in Africa, North and South America, Asia and the Pacific region: Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras , Martinique. Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Saint Martin, Suriname, Venezuela. However, the Zika virus has recently begun to spread even further - it has been diagnosed in residents of Australia, Britain, Denmark, Portugal, Finland and Germany. Last year, the disease was also found in a Swedish citizen.

HOW THE VIRUS IS TREATED

There is no cure or vaccine for the disease. The only way to prevent it is to protect yourself from mosquito bites. You should also not visit countries where biting mosquitoes live or where an outbreak of the virus has been detected. People infected with the Zika virus can only relieve the illness by getting plenty of rest, drinking enough fluids, and taking conventional drugs to relieve pain and fever. But it is better to consult a doctor immediately.

WHAT UKRAINIANS SHOULD DO

The State Sanitary and Epidemiological Service draws the attention of Ukrainian women to the possible danger of pregnant women staying in regions where there is the Zika virus.

If you need to stay in such countries, you should use mosquito protection measures (repellents, long sleeves, trousers), and try to avoid wetlands.

In hotels, you should not open windows unless they are equipped with mosquito nets. If you feel unwell after returning, contact your doctor immediately and inform your country of residence.

ZIKA IN NUMBERS

• The virus manifests itself in only 1 in 4 cases
• Brazil: 1.5 million cases last year, 4,180 children with microcephaly
• Yap Islands: 185 cases
• USA: Zika virus detected in 18 people
• Colombia: 13 thousand cases
• The number of people infected with the Zika virus in South and North America could reach 4 million

IN Lately The attention of scientists around the world and everyone else is focused on an unusual disease called the Zika virus. It is already known that the infection came from Africa, where the first cases of infection were in monkeys. But how could the disease affect a person and what would such, at first glance, lead to? mild illness No one knows.

How dangerous is the Zika virus and what other diseases could this virus be hidden for a long time? mysterious illness? Who is already at risk of its occurrence and how to protect yourself and your family when traveling to countries where this disease is widespread?

Where did the Zika virus come from?

There are several hypotheses about the cause and location of the Zika virus, but two are the main ones. According to one of them, this is another option genetic mutation in the process of scientists conducting experiments on mosquitoes. The second theory says that the virus originated in nature, and this also does not exclude the possibility of mutation, but this time natural.

Where did the Zika virus come from? The first official data on the location of the disease's appearance appeared in 1947. Scientists have discovered natural spring disease, at that time only in monkeys, in the Zika forest in East Africa (Uganda), hence its name.

Just a year later, mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus were discovered in the same place. What mosquitoes carry the Zika virus? These are representatives of the genus Aedes africanus. This type of insect has brought a lot of trouble to humans. They have been the cause of outbreaks of diseases such as tularemia, dengue fever, yellow fever, anthrax and other serious infectious diseases. To reproduce, these insects need blood and a body of water (it can be a puddle, lake, river). In search of a reservoir of water to deposit larvae, a female mosquito can fly up to 3 km. At an optimal temperature of 25 ºC, the larvae develop in 15 days. That is why the first cases of infection arose in Africa.

From 1951 to 1981, new data was received on the spread of the disease - isolated episodes of the Zika virus were recorded in Egypt, India, Malaysia, Gabon, Thailand, Indonesia and Senegal. In 2007, an outbreak of the Zika virus occurred on the island of Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia.
In 2015, the disease began to actively spread to other countries, and one of the first points of detection was South and Central America.

In which countries has the Zika virus been detected?

Why did all the media actively talk about the disease only in 2015?

1. It acquires the status of a pandemic when the incidence in some countries and neighboring regions has become widespread.
2. No full treatment and so far (as of 2016) are absent preventive vaccinations for this disease.
3. The Zika virus caused the birth of children with defects nervous system.

There have not yet been cases of the Zika virus appearing in Russia - due to the local climate, mosquitoes of the genus Aedes africanus cannot actively reproduce here. Despite the fact that 2015 was very hot, no infected insects were found in Russia.

Where is the Zika virus spread? In addition to African countries, signs of the disease and vectors have been found in more than 20 countries around the world. First of all, these are countries with a hot climate. The top five where the disease is gaining momentum is as follows:

• Mexico;
• Venezuela;
• Brazil;
• Thailand;
• Indonesia.

Which countries are free of the Zika virus or have only isolated cases of infection? IN European countries Only isolated cases have been recorded so far. But in America, virtually all countries are gradually involved in the pandemic process; according to data from the beginning of 2016, only Chile and Canada are free of infection.

How is the Zika virus transmitted?

Symptoms of the disease

The danger of the Zika virus is that the disease occurs in mild form, reminding clinical course many acute respiratory viral infections. How does the Zika virus manifest itself in most cases?

1. Many people note a slight increase in temperature.
2. As with any lung infectious process a person develops symptoms of intoxication: weakness, general malaise, periodic headaches when the temperature rises.
3. Perhaps there is a change in taste - the appearance of a slight bitter taste in the mouth due to the active work of our “ cleaning system" - liver.

Zika fever is considered a more severe manifestation of the disease. But even such a current carries easy character or medium degree gravity. Zika fever is characterized by:

• heat;
• pain in the joints, head and back, dizziness;
• there is slight nausea;
• one of the distinctive symptoms of the Zika virus is the appearance of a rash on the body;
• redness of the eyes, excessive sensitivity to sunlight and light.

Many viral infections resemble the Zika virus in their course, and the disease is similar to Dengue fever. This may have been the reason why the infection spread widely. There is a possibility that some cases of morbidity were not paid attention to, they were not diagnosed in a timely manner, and appropriate safety measures were not taken for the population.

Incubation period and effect on humans

What is the Zika virus? is a type of infection caused by a virus of the Flavivirus genus. What exactly does it attack in the human body? - such a microorganism has not yet been sufficiently studied, but despite this, something is already known.

1. The first target of the virus is the dendritic cells of the nervous system (they are located at the sites of infection). Such structures have different shape, one of important functions which is the regulation of work immune system.
2. After which the infection gradually spreads in the lymphatic and circulatory systems. Cell nuclei are affected.

Therefore one of unpleasant consequences transmission of the Zika virus - damage to the nervous system.

Incubation period Zika virus infection ranges from 3 to 12 days. On average, 10 days a person may not be bothered by anything at all, and the disease is already gradually spreading in the body. The disease almost always has a mild course. Therefore, the duration of the main symptoms is up to 7 days, on average 2–3.

Complications

The course of the disease is relatively favorable and in most cases goes away on its own. But complications of the Zika virus have been reported.

At the moment it is still difficult to assess everything possible consequences such an infection. During the course of the disease, it may join bacterial infection, the disease will be complicated by bronchitis, inflammation of the middle ear or pneumonia. I am glad that such an indicator as the mortality rate from the Zika virus remains at zero - not a single case has been registered.

Treatment

Specific methods There is no cure for the Zika virus. There are no drugs that can act directly on the virus itself, leading to immediate recovery. Therefore, the basis of treatment is general recommendations, which a person observes for any mild viral infection.

Such methods may not work on the Zika virus itself, but the consequences will not bother a person who has been actively treated. Concerning antiviral drugs- the effectiveness of most of them against the Zika virus has not yet been proven. Is it worth stressing your body? extra tablets?

Disease prevention

Now we are not talking about strengthening the immune system with a vaccine. Unfortunately, there is currently no vaccine against the Zika virus. Scientists expect that such drugs will be developed in just two years. The difficulty is that they still need to be tested not only on laboratory mice, but also on humans. Such a process can drag on for years.

Preventing the Zika virus comes down to following a few rules.

Community prevention of Zika virus

Public control measures include the destruction of larvae and adult insects and the allocation of funds to create a vaccine against the Zika virus. In the first case, apply the following measures fight:

• destruction of water tanks;
• drainage of small reservoirs of no economic importance;
• splashing mineral oils on the surface of reservoirs, clogging the larvae;
• spraying insecticides in places where mosquitoes accumulate.

It is important for each state to actively diagnose sick people who come from countries with widespread Zika virus. For this, a blood test is performed.

The Zika virus is a mild disease that can cause many problems. Just a few years ago it was unheard of. But in less than 2 years, this disease has reached pandemic status. No country is immune from it, because even in the absence of a direct carrier, the infection can be brought from abroad by humans. Not available yet effective measures prevention is the best when a person takes care of his own safety.

In 2016, cases of the Zika virus were recorded in Russia. Let’s try to figure out what kind of disease this is and what threat it poses to others. This is not the first case of the disease in the Russian Federation. Previously, 5 more were installed infected people who have now fully recovered.

The Zika virus in Russia is an extremely rare phenomenon. It was brought by travelers from the Caribbean. All those infected were on vacation in the Dominican Republic. The virus is transmitted by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes. The disease is especially dangerous for women during pregnancy. The infection provokes the development of microcephaly in the fetus, which leads to serious damage to the brain of the unborn child.

Where was the disease first discovered?

As already mentioned, the Zika virus was first recorded in Russia in February 2016. But initially information about the disease appeared back in 1947. Scientists identified this disease in rhesus macaques that lived in the Zika forest (Uganda), and it was in honor of this area that the virus got its name. The disease was diagnosed in humans in the 1950s.

Over time, scientists have established a family connection between Dengue fever and the Zika virus. Both pathologies are transmitted by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes aegypti.

Within 60 years after the pathogen was identified, no more than 15 cases of human disease were recorded. Since the disease was quite rare all these years, the world community did not take the possible threat seriously. People started talking about the disease again in 2007, when the infection was detected on the Pacific island of Yap. In 2013, the infection struck residents of French Polynesia, and already in 2015 it spread to the largest state South America- Brazil.

What danger lies behind the Zika virus?

It is worth recognizing that the panic associated with the emergence of Zika fever is not unfounded. The infection causes serious deviations in the development of the fetus, as it can be transmitted from mother to child through the placenta. The disease poses the greatest danger to children in the womb. If a woman contracts the Zika virus during pregnancy, the consequences lead to microcephaly of the fetus. His skull becomes abnormal due to pathology small size, the child has deviations in the functioning of his visual and auditory organs and dementia.

Since the disease has not been fully studied, scientists do not directly link Zika fever with manifestations of microcephaly, although they do not completely deny that the disease can cause such abnormalities.

Another serious complication from exposure to the virus is Guillain-Barré syndrome. Initially this disease amazes lower limbs, partially paralyzing them. But as the disease progresses, paralysis affects other parts of the body, including the lungs, which ultimately leads to asphyxia and can cause death.

Where was the Zika virus detected in 2016?

Which countries had the most severe Zika outbreaks in 2016? Interestingly, if previously endemic areas were located only on the African continent, now the virus has spread far beyond their borders. Outbreaks of incidence were recorded in areas with a tropical climate:

• countries of central Africa;
• in Indonesia and countries located in southeast Asia;
• countries of South and Central America;
• in India.

In the spring of 2016, the epidemic swept through Brazil. Approximately 500 thousand citizens of this country have suffered from the disease caused by the Zika virus. Symptoms of the disease appear as:

• fever;
• rashes on the skin;
• migraines;
• joint pain.

Gradually, the disease spread to Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia, and Guatemala. According to statistics, outbreaks of infection were recorded in 23 countries around the world. People infected with the virus have been identified in Canada, Denmark, France, Sweden and even Russia.

How is Zika fever transmitted?

As doctors have established, there are three ways of infection with the described virus:

• when bitten by a mosquito belonging to the genus Aedes aegypti;
• transplacentally - during pregnancy, an infected mother can transmit the virus to her child;
• during intimacy with an infected person.

After infection with the virus, the patient develops strong immunity to the disease. A person who has recovered from the disease no longer poses a threat to others, since he becomes non-infectious.

Symptoms of the disease

How does the Zika virus manifest itself? Symptoms of the disease do not appear immediately after infection. The incubation period can last from 3 to 12 days, after which a rash appears on the patient’s body and face, and pain is felt in the head, joints and spine. Fever appears, which may be accompanied by chills, conjunctivitis, and sometimes nausea and vomiting.

But the symptoms do not always have such vivid and painful manifestations. According to statistics, only 1 out of 5 sick people develop a more severe course of the disease.

Treatment of Zika fever

Unfortunately, there is no vaccine for this strain of the virus. Since in most cases it proceeds quite easily, there is no specific treatment not required.

To remove painful sensations, take analgesics wide range activities that can be purchased at any pharmacy. Elevated temperature easy to reduce with conventional antipyretics. It is also recommended to get plenty of rest and drink enough water.

The Zika virus in Russia is quite rare. However, if you have recently traveled to any country with a tropical climate, it is possible that you have contracted this infection. Therefore, if you suspect that you have become infected with the Zika virus, and the symptoms are pronounced and the disease is severe, you should definitely consult a doctor.

As we have already said, the disease poses the greatest danger to pregnant women, especially in the first trimester, when all the organs and systems of the embryo are formed. Although it has not been proven that it is the virus that leads to the development of microcephaly in the fetus, many experts associate the appearance of such a pathology with it.

In Brazil, where there was the largest outbreak of morbidity in the population, the diagnosis of microcephaly was confirmed in 270 newborns. About 3.5 thousand more children have signs of pathology and are undergoing examination to accurately confirm the disease.

Are there ways to protect yourself from Zika?

Since there is no vaccine for the virus, the only way To protect yourself from disease is prevention. Mosquitoes of the genus Aedes aegypti live in countries with tropical climates, therefore residents of these regions and visitors are recommended:

• use repellents against these insects;
• do not open windows in rooms unless they are equipped with mosquito nets;
• When walking outside, you must wear clothing that covers your body as much as possible.

Does the virus threaten Russian citizens?

Many people are interested in the question of whether there is a Zika virus in Russia, and how real the threat of infection is for the residents of the country. We hasten to answer that since the species of mosquitoes of the genus Aedes is not found on the territory of the Russian Federation, the danger to its citizens is minimal. Although 6 cases of fever infection were recorded in 2016, the disease was not of an epidemiological nature. The Zika virus appeared in Russia thanks to tourists who were on vacation in the Dominican Republic and were infected after being bitten by insects.

To prevent the spread of the disease, authorities have strengthened sanitary controls at airports. A system has also been developed to diagnose Zika fever. The Institute of Virology has begun studying its causative agent, which will eventually make it possible to develop a vaccine. Rospotrebnadzor of the Russian Federation has published a list of states that are unsafe for pregnant women to visit due to the current epidemiological situation in these regions. The list includes 27 countries where outbreaks were recorded.

Zika fever is caused by the Zika virus. The Zika virus is spread by the bite of a mosquito that has previously sucked the blood of someone with Zika fever.
It's a disease tropical countries and the virus is spread by the same mosquitoes that carry dengue fever.

Latest news about Zika fever as of February 1, 2017

According to the WHO report on January 20, 2017, transmission of the Zika virus was recorded in 76 countries (from January 1, 2007 to January 20, 2017). The Zika virus has been detected in 61 countries since 2015.

The total number of countries where the Zika epidemic is currently spreading is 59.

“Currently, the incidence of Zika fever (ZF) in the population as a result of local transmission of the virus is observed in 48 countries of the Americas region, as well as in a number of states South-East Asia, Africa and the Pacific.

The total number of affected people in the countries of the Americas region is more than 738 thousand, in more than 198 thousand the diagnosis was laboratory confirmed.

In 29 of the affected countries, an increase in the number of cases of pathologies of the nervous system of newborns was noted; in 21 countries, an increase in the number of neurological disorders, including Guillain-Barré syndrome, associated with cases of LD was detected."

Zika in Singapore

Rospotrebnazor reports:

"In the Republic of Singapore total number There were 460 cases of Zika fever during the period from August 28, 2016 to January 27, 2017 (a new case was registered on January 20, 2017). Among the sick are 17 pregnant women. "

Zika in Vietnam

In Vietnam greatest number 186 cases of Zika fever were detected in Ho Chi Minh City, and a total of 212 cases in Vietnam

What are the symptoms of Zika fever?

Typically, only 20% of people infected with the Zika virus become ill.
Symptoms begin to appear within a week after the mosquito bite. Symptoms include fever, rash, red eyes, and joint pain.

As a rule, the course of fever does not cause any particular concern, it is short-lived, there is no significant intoxication of the body, and there is no need for hospitalization.

Called for fever increased attention due to the fact that it can be easily transferred from continent to continent by travelers, and also because of the risk of this fever for pregnant women. There are suggestions that infection of pregnant women leads to children being born with small heads (microcephaly), which in turn leads to mental deficiency in children, even to the point of idiocy.

In addition, there are observations that along with the increase in the number of cases of the Zika virus, the number of cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome (a disease of the nervous system that causes muscle weakness and in some cases paralysis). However, there is no definitive evidence linking this syndrome to the Zika virus.

How is the Zika virus transmitted?

Zika is transmitted, as already mentioned, through the bite of an infected mosquito, as well as to the fetus from an infected mother.

Transmission through contaminated blood and sexual contact from an infected man has also been reported. There have been no reported cases of sexual transmission of the Zika virus from an infected woman.

At the end of February 2016, WHO drew attention to the fact that more and more proven cases of sexual transmission of the Zika virus are being recorded

Zika in Europe

In mid-May 2016, WHO assessed the risks of the Zika epidemic in Europe

European countries by decreasing risk of infection

In 18 countries in the European Region, the likelihood of local transmission of Zika virus is assessed as moderate. Countries in this group are (in order of decreasing likelihood): France, Italy, Malta, Croatia, Israel, Spain, Monaco, San Marino, Turkey, Greece, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Georgia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina , Montenegro. In limited geographic areas, such as the island of Madeira (Portugal) and the northeastern Black Sea coast, the likelihood of local transmission of Zika virus is considered high.

History of the Zika virus

The virus was first discovered in Africa in 1947.
The virus caused a severe epidemic in 2007 in the Pacific Islands of Polynesia and Micronesia.
In 2016, the fever began to be talked about much more often due to the fact that it spread in Brazil, where the Olympics were held.

Zika fever map

shows countries where there is currently active transmission of the virus

List of countries where Zika fever is observed as of February 1, 2017 (WHO data update as of January 20, 2017)

North and South America

Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina

Barbados

Bonaire St. Eustatius and Saba

Brazil

Venezuela

Virgin Islands

Guadeloupe

Guatemala

Honduras

Dominican Republic

Dominica

Cayman islands

Colombia

Costa Rica

Martinique

Montserrat

Nicaragua

Paraguay

Puerto Rica

Salvador

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Martin and Sint Maarten

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Saint Barthelemy

Saint Lucia

Turks and Caicos

Trinidad and Tobago

French Guiana

Oceania and Pacific Islands

American Samoa, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Samoa, Singapore, Palau, Tongo, Fiji

Africa

Angola, Cape Verde (Cape Verde Islands), Guinea-Bissau

Asia

Isolated cases of Zika fever

Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Thailand, New Caledonia, Philippines, Vietnam

Countries where the virus appeared in the last six months are highlighted in green.

The spread of the effects of the Zika virus on the map

Map distribution of cases of microcephaly associated with the Zika virus

Map distribution of Guillain-Barré syndrome cases associated with Zika virus

Zika fever in Russia

On February 15, 2016, the first case of Zika fever was reported in Russia. A woman who came from the Dominican Republic was admitted to an infectious diseases hospital in Moscow. The woman recovered

On April 22, a second case of the virus being imported into Russia was reported, as was the first case from the Dominican Republic.

The head of Rospotrebnadzor, Anna Popova, reported the fifth case on June 14, 2016. The sixth case was reported on August 7. Also imported from the islands of the Caribbean region. The man recovered and is doing well.

In early September, the seventh and eighth cases were reported simultaneously as a married couple returning from the Dominican Republic fell ill.

Rospotrebnadzor reported the ninth case on September 7. Once again, the virus was introduced by a tourist who came from the Dominican Republic.

The tenth case was recorded in mid-September.

In mid-November 2016, there were two cases at once. Again imported from the Caribbean.

All those who fell ill, according to Anna Popova, “they are all cured and feel well.”

There is no threat of a Zika fever epidemic throughout almost the entire territory of Russia, since there are no mosquitoes that transmit this disease. However, isolated imported cases are possible.

Zika in Sochi

Recently, there have been reports that Zika diseases are possible in Sochi and in general on the northeastern coast of the Black Sea, as local mosquitoes are capable of transmitting the Zika virus. In this regard, measures were taken additional measures Sochi administration to treat places where mosquitoes can accumulate.

And at the end of November, Rospotrebnadzor reported the almost complete elimination of mosquitoes

“Efforts have been made, which we began in February of this year, to protect the territory of the Black Sea coast of the Russian Federation. We also actively helped our colleagues in Abkhazia. Because the carrier of the Zika virus is a mosquito. It lives there, has always lived there. Starting in March, we trained entomologists , carried out all the necessary treatments of the territory. The number of treated hectares is huge both in Russia and in Abkhazia. (...) We managed to reduce the mosquito population to almost zero. Precisely the same mosquito that could be the cause of the epidemiological complication," said Popova on Wednesday at a meeting in Yekaterinburg.

Is there a vaccine for Zika fever?

There is no vaccine or special medicine for Zika fever.
The only way to protect yourself from it is to avoid mosquito bites in areas where there is Zika fever.

However, in November it was reported that Brazil should have a vaccine before the end of 2016.

How to protect yourself from mosquito bites that carry Zika fever

In order to avoid bites, you must follow the standard rules -
1) In areas where contamination is possible, wear long sleeves and long pants.
2) Try to stay in closed, air-conditioned rooms
3) Use repellents suitable for this type of mosquito. You should not bring repellents from your own country; they may not protect against local mosquitoes. Buy repellents sold at local stores.
4) Treat clothes and belongings with repellents containing pernethrin. It remains on clothes for a long time and even after 1-2 washes. Cannot be applied to skin.
5) You need to sleep in a non-air-conditioned room under a mosquito net.
If you are sick, drink more water, do not take aspirin.

Pregnant women should either avoid traveling to areas where Zika is present or take extreme caution to avoid mosquito bites.