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How Zika virus infection can spread: This new mosquito menace has been spreading panic after health authorities issued warnings, causing them to scurry to find out preventive measures. Though India offers a fertile environment to the virus, so far no case relating to it has been found here.(Image Source: Reuters)<br> Here we highlight, in 5 points, what Zika virus is and how the virus infection spreads (and it does not do so only through mosquito bites):</br>
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1. What is Zika? Zika virus disease is an emerging mosquito-borne disease transmitted by an infected Aedes mosquito – the same that causes the fatal Dengue and Chikungunya. The Zika virus may cause deformities in newborn children and is spreading explosively and could affect as many as 4 mn people in Americas alone. (Image Source: Reuters)
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2. Is Zika infectious? Zika has become a serious global threat. Apart from mosquito bites, it can migrate between humans through sexual contact and can also affect an unborn fetus. Zika virus is active in Mexico, Brazil, Nigeria, Thailand, Indonesia and Philippines. (Image Source: Reuters)
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3. Effects and Symptoms: Mild fever, Skin Rash (Exanthema), Conjunctivitis, In babies, Zika is linked to Microcephaly, a condition that leads to below-normal brain development. (Image Source: Reuters)
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4. New Zika virus transmission method found: Brazilian researchers found traces of Zika virus in the saliva and urine of patients with symptoms of the disease, which means the virus is potentially transmissible via the two fluids. The announcement was made on Friday by Paulo Gavel, president of Brazil's world-renowned public health research institution Ossa Crud Foundation (Fisc), Xinhua news agency reported. After the warning, Brazil's health ministry updated its recommendations, adding that people should not share objects of personal use such as toothbrushes and glasses and should wash their hands frequently. (Image Source: Reuters)
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5. The ministry also warned that the possibility of transmission through fluids does not mean that the efforts to control the proliferation of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which transmits not only Zika virus but also chikungunya fever and dengue, should be in any way reduced. (Image Source: Reuters)
Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas congratulates Sridhar Vembu as Arattai jumps from 3,000 to 350,000 sign-ups within days of its launch
