With the Rio 2016 Olympics due to start in a few days, coverage of the outbreak of the Zika Virus has been widespread. While the risk in the UK is said to be very low, there are some guidelines issued by the department of health which apply to pregnant women, and women planning on having a baby, who are planning on travelling to affected areas, particulary if they intend on going to the Games in South America.
The Zika virus is predominantly transmitted by infected Aedes species of mosquitoes, although there are a small number of reports of sexual transmission. The symptoms in most people are quite mild, including fever, rashes, joint pain and conjunctivitis.However in pregnant women, the virus can spread to the unborn foetus and cause a condition called 'microcephaly', which means the head does not develop normally and the brains affected babies are smaller than normal, leading to developmental problems including epilepsy, feeding or swallowing problems, hearing loss, vision problems and problems with movement and balance. There problems can range from relatively mild to severe, and in some cases can be life threatening.
The advice for pregant women is to avoid travelling to countries affected by the Zika virus, especially those areas rated in the highest risk category. For individuals who are not pregnant, it is recommended that you take precautions against mosquito bites and for men to use condoms while visiting the affected area, and for a period of 6 months after returning if they experience zika-like symptoms.
