Health

Tropical medicine expert: “Zika-Virus not with HIV”similar to

The Zika Virus, which in North and South America, spreading may also be the sexual intercourse is to be. But Worry give the experts something completely different, says Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit in the DW-Interview.

Deutsche Welle: The
Zika Virus
spreads in North and South America. People can also each other catch the disease?

Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit: The Virus is spreading mainly through mosquitoes. There is also the possibility that it is sexually transmitted, but is rather subordinate. The danger is rather the Following: the majority of The Zika Infected with the disease, and therefore knows not that she is infected. This makes sexual Transmission is a little easier.

And in our daily interactions with each other?

Transmissions of Ebola knows, via droplets, touching, kissing, this is not possible. You should Zika so in any way with HIV or Ebola compare. Otherwise, people come immediately to quite other thoughts and there are quite wild theories – someone says it is the new HIV. The Virus is quite clearly a “Mückenvirus”. It is to the mosquito adapted to, and normally with the people with nothing to do – because of where it comes from, namely from the jungle. It is not a Virus like HIV, which is relatively well adapted to the humans and then from human to human.

The Virus is via blood transfer?

Transmission via blood transfusion is possible – such as with dengue fever, with the Zika Virus is related. Of course, need blood products in the very sensitive regions will now be tested, in order to avoid this. The Zika Virus can also through the milk of infected mothers to be transferred, when their babies are breastfeeding. But that is not the main millions of people.

Tropical Medicine Expert, Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit

Plays the human-to-human Transmission played a role in the spread of the Virus?

The more cases there are, the more interesting are these other channels that typically play a minor role. If there are millions of cases, that is not to be neglected. It is the object of current research. We need to investigate further: How often is that happening, how long can the Virus in the semen evidence and so on.

Are these routes of Transmission from person to person reason for concern for you?

The possible sexual Transmission is one aspect, but certainly not to me and other colleagues the most trouble. Do more questions about how we are Pregnant women to protect, as we are the Virus is able to repress and how best the mosquitoes to fight.

For as dangerous, you hold the Virus?

The Situation overall is quite unexpected. The Zika Virus is one that, figuratively speaking, from the jungle coming in and a bit of fear and terror einjagt. Just the deformities in infants are dramatic. Many survive the not. This Worries me – the neurological damage in adults with the infection are associated.

Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit is a physician and virologist at the Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for tropical medicine in Hamburg.

The Interview was conducted by Carla Bleiker.