Zika virus disease has increased recently. Director General of WHO , Dr Margaret Chan , said the threat Zika ' has grown from mid-level to an alarming rate ' and the impact of this virus ' very serious'. But do you know about zika virus disease? Let’s talk about this disease and what are the consequences.
Firts, Zika virus disease (Zika) is a disease caused by Zika virus,a virus from the Flaviviridae family and genus flavivirus that is spread to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito. Zika virus was first discovered in 1947 and is named after the Zika forest in Uganda. In 1952, the first human cases of Zika were detected and since then, outbreaks of Zika have been reported in tropical Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands.
Zika virus transmission can be in several ways, there are :
a.Through mosquito bites
Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on a person already infected with the virus. Infected mosquitoes can then spread the virus to other people through bites.
b.From mother to child
A mother can pass Zika virus to her fetus during pregnancy.
c.Through sexual contact
Zika virus can be spread by a man to his sex partners. The virus can be present in semen longer than in blood.
d.Through blood transfusion
Maybe we’ll focus on how zika virus affects pregnancies. There is increasing evidence to suggest that infection with the Zika virus during pregnancy can stop the baby’s brain from forming or growing normally. As a result, the baby might have a small head (‘microcephaly’), stiffness, and problems with learning and development after birth.
Studies are currently being carried out to increase our understanding of how Zika virus infection during pregnancy might affect an unborn baby, both in the womb and later on in life. We do not yet know whether only babies who have been exposed to the virus at a specific stage of pregnancy are at risk of developing microcephaly and its associated problems. At present it is thought that the majority of babies who have been born with microcephaly following Zika virus infection in pregnancy have been exposed to the virus in the first trimester (the first 13 weeks of pregnancy). However, there are reports of microcephaly and brain abnormalities in a few babies whose mothers report being possibly infected with Zika virus after the first trimester. We do not yet know how likely a baby is to have problems following Zika virus infection in the mother in pregnancy.
So,how can you avoid catching Zika virus during pregnancy?
The National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) in the UK has advised pregnant women to consider avoiding travel to areas where Zika virus outbreaks are currently reported. Women who are planning to become pregnant are advised to discuss their travel plans with their healthcare provider to assess their risk of Zika virus infection, and to obtain advice on insect bite avoidance measures (see below). The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in America also advise pregnant women or women who are trying to become pregnant who are due to travel to an area where Zika virus has been reported to consider postponing their trip.
But if you are pregnant and cannot avoid travelling to an area affected by Zika virus, you should take strict precautions to avoid mosquito bites. This includes:
1.Using DEET to repel mosquitos
DEET should be reapplied regularly, and should be applied to the skin after any sunscreen, rather than before.
2.Staying inside as much as possible during mid-morning and from late afternoon to dusk.
The mosquitoes that transmit Zika Virus are mainly active during daylight hours, and most bites occur at these times.
3.Covering up exposed skin as much as possible with light coloured, loose fitting clothing.
4.Applying an insecticide that kills mosquitos on contact (such as permethrin) to clothing and mosquito nets
5.Using mosquito screens on doors and windows
6.Sleeping with mosquito nets over the bed
Than, Protect your family from this virus and noticed the place was traveling to be addressed to reduce the risk of this virus.
Tuberculosis (TB), who don't know this disease? everyone knows,
because this disease strike anyone even it's children or adult. So, what is TB?
Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by a bacterium called
Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but TB
bacteria can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain.
If not treated properly, TB disease can be fatal.
TB is spread through the air from one person to another. The
TB bacteria are put into the air when a person with TB disease of the lungs or
throat coughs, sneezes, speaks, or sings. People nearby may breathe in these
bacteria and become infected.
TB is NOT spread by
1. shaking someone's hand
2. sharing food or drink
3. touching bed linens or toilet seats
4. sharing toothbrushes
5. kissing
Not everyone infected with TB bacteria becomes sick. As a
result, two TB-related conditions exist: latent TB infection and TB disease.
1. Latent TB Infection
TB bacteria can live in the body without making you sick.
This is called latent TB infection. In most people who breathe in TB bacteria
and become infected, the body is able to fight the bacteria to stop them from
growing. People with latent TB infection do not feel sick and do not have any
symptoms. People with latent TB infection are not infectious and cannot spread
TB bacteria to others. However, if TB bacteria become active in the body and
multiply, the person will go from having latent TB infection to being sick with
TB disease.
2. TB Disease
TB bacteria become active if the immune system can't stop
them from growing. When TB bacteria are active (multiplying in your body), this
is called TB disease. People with TB disease are sick. They may also be able to
spread the bacteria to people they spend time with every day.
Many people who have latent TB infection never develop TB
disease. Some people develop TB disease soon after becoming infected (within
weeks) before their immune system can fight the TB bacteria. Other people may
get sick years later when their immune system becomes weak for another reason. For
people whose immune systems are weak, especially those with HIV infection, the
risk of developing TB disease is much higher than for people with normal immune
systems.
There are two kinds of tests that are used to determine if a
person has been infected with TB bacteria: the tuberculin skin test and TB
blood tests.
A positive TB skin test or TB blood test only tells that a
person has been infected with TB bacteria. It does not tell whether the person
has latent TB infection (LTBI) or has progressed to TB disease. Other tests,
such as a chest x-ray and a sample of sputum, are needed to see whether the
person has TB disease.
Nurse reading a patient's skin testTuberculin skin test: The
TB skin test (also called the Mantoux tuberculin skin test) is performed by
injecting a small amount of fluid (called tuberculin) into the skin in the
lower part of the arm. A person given the tuberculin skin test must return
within 48 to 72 hours to have a trained health care worker look for a reaction
on the arm. The health care worker will look for a raised, hard area or
swelling, and if present, measure its size using a ruler. Redness by itself is
not considered part of the reaction.
The skin test result depends on the size of the raised, hard
area or swelling. It also depends on the person’s risk of being infected with TB bacteria and the
progression to TB disease if infected.
Positive skin test: This means the person’s body was infected with TB bacteria. Additional
tests are needed to determine if the person has latent TB infection or TB
disease. A health care worker will then provide treatment as needed.
Negative skin test: This means the person’s body did not react to the test, and that latent TB
infection or TB disease is not likely.
Person holding a vial of blood TB blood tests: TB blood
tests (also called interferon-gamma release assays or IGRAs) measure how the
immune system reacts to the bacteria that cause TB. An IGRA measures how strong
a person’s immune system reacts to TB
bacteria by testing the person’s
blood in a laboratory.
Two IGRAs are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) and are available in the United States:
•Positive IGRA: This means that the person has been infected
with TB bacteria. Additional tests are needed to determine if the person has
latent TB infection or TB disease. A health care worker will then provide
treatment as needed.
•Negative IGRA: This means that the person’s blood did not react to the test and that latent TB
infection or TB disease is not likely.
IGRAs are the preferred method of TB infection testing for
the following:
People who have a difficult time returning for a second
appointment to look for a reaction to the TST.
There is no problem with repeated IGRA.
TB tests are generally not needed for people with a low risk
of infection with TB bacteria. Certain people should be tested for TB bacteria
because they are more likely to get TB disease, including:
1. People who have spent time with someone who has TB
disease
2. People with HIV infection or another medical problem that
weakens the immune system
3. People who have symptoms of TB disease (fever, night
sweats, cough, and weight loss)
4. People from a country where TB disease is common (most
countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and
Russia)
5. People who live or work somewhere in the United States
where TB disease is more common (homeless shelters, prison or jails, or some
nursing homes)
