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Feb 21, 2024 · Fever. Rash. Headache. Joint pain. Conjunctivitis (red eyes) Muscle pain. Skin rash caused by Zika. Zika causes symptoms similar to other viral diseases spread through mosquito bites, like dengue and chikungunya. Zika symptoms usually last for several days to a week. People usually do not get sick enough to go to the hospital.
- Overview
- What are the symptoms?
- What causes it?
- How is it diagnosed?
- What’s the treatment?
- How long does it last?
- Possible complications
- What’s the outlook?
- Prevention tips
Overview
The rash associated with the Zika virus is a combination of flat blotches (macules) and raised tiny reddish bumps (papules). The technical name for the rash is “maculopapular.” It’s often itchy.
The Zika virus is spread by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. Transmission is also possible from mother to fetus or by sexual intercourse, blood transfusion, or animal bite.
The virus is usually mild, and in about 80 percent of cases, no symptoms are noticed. When symptoms occur, they can include:
•rash
•fever
Most people with Zika have no rash and no other symptoms. In a large Brazilian study, only 38 percent of people with Zika remembered a mosquito bite.
If you get a Zika virus rash, it may appear within 3 to 12 days of a bite from an infected mosquito. The rash often starts on the trunk and spreads to the face, arms, legs, soles, and palms.
The rash is a combination of tiny red bumps and reddish blotches. Other mosquito-borne infections have similar rashes, including dengue and chikungunya. These are classified as flaviviruses.
But unlike these other flavivirus rashes, the Zika rash was reported to be itchy in 79 percent of cases.
Similar rashes can also result from drug reactions, allergies, bacterial infections, and systemic inflammation.
A study in Brazil of confirmed cases of Zika virus noted that in 98 percent of cases, people went to the doctor because they saw the Zika rash.
The Zika virus is transmitted mostly through the bite of an infected mosquito of the Aedes species. The virus enters your lymph nodes and bloodstream. Your immune system’s reaction to the virus can be expressed in a maculopapular rash.
Your doctor will ask you about any recent travel you (or a partner) may have had to areas where Zika is endemic. They’ll want to know if you remember a mosquito bite.
The doctor will also ask about your symptoms and when they began.
There is no special treatment for the Zika virus or for the rash. Recommended treatment is similar to that for other flu-like ailments:
•rest
•plenty of fluids
•acetaminophen to reduce fever and pain
The rash usually goes away on its own within 1 to 4 days after it begins.
There aren’t any complications from the Zika rash itself. But there can be serious complications from the Zika virus, especially for pregnant women.
In Brazil, during the 2015 outbreak of Zika virus, there was an increase in babies born with a small head or brain (microcephaly) and other birth defects. The strong scientific consensus is that there’s a causal association with Zika virus in the mother.
In the Americas and Polynesia, there are reports of an increase in meningitis, meningoencephalitis, and Guillain-Barré syndrome associated with Zika virus.
How and if the Zika virus causes these complications is now being researched.
There is currently no vaccine for the Zika virus. Zika virus is usually mild, and most people notice no symptoms. If you have a Zika rash or other virus symptoms, you can expect to recover in two weeks or less.
To prevent the spread of infection to others, protect yourself against mosquito bites for three weeks after you have Zika or have visited a region where Zika is present. If a mosquito bites you while you have the virus, it can then spread the virus to other people that it bites.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that pregnant women not travel to areas where there is a risk of Zika. The CDC also recommends that pregnant women have condom-protected sex or abstain from sex while they’re pregnant.
The virus stays in urine and semen longer than in blood. Men who have Zika virus should take precautions with their partner during pregnancy or if pregnancy is planned. The CDC recommends that men who have traveled to a region with Zika should use condoms or refrain from sex for six months.
Protecting yourself against mosquito bites is the first line of defense against the Zika virus.
In areas where there’s a risk of Zika, take steps to reduce the mosquito population. This means getting rid of any standing water near the house that could breed mosquitoes, from plant pots to water bottles.
If you live in or are traveling to a region where there’s a risk of Zika:
•Wear protective clothing including long sleeves, long pants, socks, and shoes.
•Use an effective mosquito repellent that has at least a 10 percent concentration of DEET.
•Sleep under a bed net at night and stay in places with window screens.
- Marjorie Hecht
People also ask
What does Zika rash look like?
What is a Zika rash?
What are the symptoms of Zika virus?
Feb 26, 2024 · Characteristic clinical findings associated with Zika virus disease are acute onset of fever with maculopapular rash, arthralgia, or nonpurulent conjunctivitis. Other commonly reported symptoms include myalgia and headache.
Apr 17, 2024 · Zika rash is a common symptom of Zika virus, an infection spread through mosquito bites and person-to-person transmission. Zika rash consists of small red or purple dots, which may be flat or raised. The rash is often itchy. In most people, Zika rash is mild and will resolve on its own within a week.
The most common symptoms of Zika are. Fever; Rash; Headache; Joint pain; Conjunctivitis (red eyes) Muscle pain; How long symptoms last. Zika is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week. People usually don’t get sick enough to go to the hospital, and they very rarely die of Zika. For this reason, many people might not ...
The rash associated with zika virus is either morbilliform ( papules) or scarlatiniform (micropapules). It starts on the face on the first day of illness and spreads to trunk and limbs. The rash may affect palms and soles, which may be swollen. It begins to fade within 2–3 days and is gone completely within a week.
Oct 20, 2022 · Joint pain. Redness in the whites of your eyes ( pink eye/conjunctivitis ). Rash that’s a mix of raised and flat red areas of skin (maculopapular), which can be itchy. Advertisement.
