The Federal Ministry of Health (FMO) recent travel restriction especially by pregnant women to Latin America to prevent the transmission of Zika virus is a wake-up call over the disease currently ravaging many countries in the Americas. While issuing the directive last week, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole said Nigeria’s Center for Disease Control (NCDC) should include Zika virus diagnosis as part of ongoing effort to manage Lassa fever outbreak in the country. Prof. Adewole, therefore urged Nigerians to be vigilant and report promptly any case of unexplained fever that is more than 48 hours, especially in those with recent travels to Latin America, to health care professionals. Although, the minister assured Nigerians that there is no single case of Zika virus infection in the country, there is concerns among the populace over the disease which has been confirmed in about 22 countries. To contain the disease, the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Monday, declared the Zika virus an international public health emergency. This, according to the Director General of the WHO, Dr. Margaret Chan who announced the declaration at an emergency meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, is to address the menace from the disease. What is Zika virus infection? Zika virus infection is caused by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, usually causing mild fever, rash, conjunctivitis, and muscle pain.
This is the same mosquito that transmits dengue and chikungunya Aedes is a genus of mosquitoes originally found in tropical and subtropical zones, but now found on all continents except Antarctica. Some species have been spread by human activity. The United State (CDC) U.S recommends using a repellant containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or lemon-eucalyptus oil to keep oneself protected. Even though the virus is NBD for most of us, it can be seriously threatening if you’re pregnant. A mother who contracts the virus before giving birth can pass it to her newborn during delivery, but the real threat is birth defects. The major concern is microcephaly, a condition that causes a baby’s head and brain to be smaller than normal. Other than the physical defect, microcephaly is often associated with developmental delays, seizures, and intellectual disabilities. In late December, Brazilian health officials even warned women not to get pregnant, since 2,400 babies had been born with the condition in 2015. In May 2015, the public health authorities of Brazil confirmed the transmission of Zika virus in the northeast of the country. Since October 2015, other countries and territories of the Americas have reported the presence of the virus. What is the link between Zika virus in Brazil and the high numbers of infants born there with microcephaly? According to the United States (U.S) Centre for Disease Control, Zika virus infections have been confirmed in several infants with microcephaly from Brazil. The time frame and geographic location of reports of infants with microcephaly coincides with the outbreak of Zika virus infections in Brazil. The baseline prevalence of congenital microcephaly is difficult to determine because of underreporting, and the inconsistency of clinical criteria used to define microcephaly. Although population- based estimates of congenital microcephaly in Brazil vary, the number of infants with microcephaly currently being reported in Brazil is greater than would be expected. What birth defects have been reported in in infants with confirmed Zika virus infection? Brain abnormalities reported in infants with microcephaly and laboratoryconfirmed congenital Zika infection include microcephaly and disrupted brain growth. Some infants with possible Zika virus infection have been found to have intracranial calcifications and abnormal eye findings. It is not known if Zika virus infection is caused any of these abnormalities.