A quick primer on the Zika virus and its impact around the globe.
Click on the links below – and check out CCTV America’s complete coverage as it develops.

• What we know about Zika
• Where is Zika occurring?
• What is microcephaly?
• Potential spread in the U.S.
• What are the symptoms?
• More information

 
What we know about Zika

• Zika is spread mostly by the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito.
• Zika can be passed from a pregnant woman to her fetus.
• Zika infection during pregnancy can cause certain birth defects – most notably, Microcephaly.
• Zika can be spread by a man to his female or male partners.
• At present, there is no vaccine, or medicine, to prevent, or to treat, Zika.

What we don’t know about Zika

• If there is a safe time during pregnancy to travel to an area with Zika.
• If you are pregnant and infected, how likely it is that the virus will infect your fetus and if your baby will have birth defects.

Where is Zika occurring?

While Brazil and Central America have been reporting the vast majority of cases, Zika has been affecting people around the world. As summer commences in the western hemisphere, there is a great concern the Aedes species mosquito, which carries the virus, will further migrate north.

Travel notice

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a travel notice for people traveling to areas where Zika virus is spreading. For a current list of places with Zika outbreaks, see CDC’s Travel Health Notices:

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/zika-travel-information

What is microcephaly?

Microcephaly is a condition where a baby’s head is much smaller than expected. Microcephaly can occur when a baby’s brain has not developed properly during pregnancy, or has stopped growing after birth, which results in a smaller head size.

Microcephaly has been linked with the following problems:

• Seizures
• Developmental delay, such as problems with speech or other developmental milestones (like sitting, standing, and walking)
• Intellectual disability (decreased ability to learn and function in daily life)
• Problems with movement and balance
• Feeding problems, such as difficulty swallowing
• Hearing loss
• Vision problems

These problems can range from mild to severe and are often lifelong. Severe microcephaly can also be life-threatening.

Cases of Zika and microcephaly in Brazil

CDC’s estimated spread of Zika spreading mosquitoes in the U.S. (2016)

What are the symptoms?

Many people with Zika won’t even know they have it. The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week.

The most common symptoms of Zika are:

• Fever
• Rash
• Joint Pain
• Conjunctivitis (red eyes)

For more information on Zika:

• U.S. Center for Disease Control
• CCTV America coverage of the Zika virus

Story includes information and graphics from the U.S. Center for Disease Control