Health
Zika Virus no reason to panic
The Virus, in North and South America, spreads out, is for Pregnant women and babies is not dangerous – but a Killerepidemie it is not.
Who the Zika-reporting only superficially followed, might get the impression that the Virus is on the scale
dangerous viruses
the humanity threaten, about on par with Ebola and is just behind HIV.
One reason for this slightly panicky concern is the lack of information. The Virus appeared for the first Time in 1947 in Uganda, but was researched on it so far, almost not at all. There is no vaccine and the current outbreak began only last year, when the Zika Virus in Brazil occurred.
Experts warn, however, before that, now in hysterics to expire.
“You should Zika in any way with HIV or Ebola compare,” said Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit, a virologist at the Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for tropical medicine in
DW-conversation
. “Otherwise, people come immediately to quite other thoughts and there are quite wild theories – someone says it is the new HIV.”
A “mild” Virus
For healthy adults who are not pregnant, the Virus no big threat. Common symptoms are fever, arthralgia and rash. The American center for Krankheitskontrolle and prevention (CDC) describes the Situation clearly on his Website: “The disease runs usually mild… A serious illness, a hospital stay requires, is unusual. Deaths are rare.”
Compared with Ebola, a disease with symptoms such as Passing and unexplained bleeding, the in West Africa only recently, more than 11,000 people killed, appears Zika do no longer so scary.
Some tourists have the Virus already as Reisesouvenir with
to Europe
– without that there’s bigger waves struck. According to information from the German press Agency (dpa) has been in Germany since 2013 ten Zika cases reported. In Italy, it should four cases in the UK and three in Spain, two have given. These Numbers, however, are not reliable, since there are no international guidelines, such as the Virus must be reported.
It may be that the number of Infected in Europe was higher – without the Affected even knew about it. The CDC writes that only one of five people who are infecting with the Virus actually get sick.
Dangerous Birth Defects
Babies with Mikrozephalie, like the little Ludmilla in Recife, in Brazil, since last year, more often than born
But that does not mean that Zika completely harmless. The Virus is dangerous Mikrozephalie-malformation associated. In Brazil, where the Zika Virus is particularly widespread, since the current outbreak is about 4000 Babies with Mikrozephalie born. Their heads are smaller than normal Babies. That goes with brain damage associated.
“The connection is not yet 100 percent proven, but very likely”, says Schmidt-Chanasit. “The evidence is condensed on an hourly basis.”
Exactly how the Transmission from mother to fetus works, is still unclear. The Baby is only born once, it can be the Virus with the breast milk. Some countries in South America, women have got until 2018 not to become pregnant.
The risk is, if a woman during pregnancy with the Zika Virus. Someone who several months ago was in Brazil and now finds that she is pregnant, no need to Worry, says Schmidt-Chanasit. The Virus could be in the human body do not survive long.