Q: Which doctor would I consult for Zika fever?
A: A general physician or an internist or a family physician would initially check for the disease symptoms and might later refer to an Infectious disease specialist.
Q: What precautions should be taken against Zika virus during pregnancy?
A: If you are infected with Zika virus during pregnancy, there is a possibility of transmitting the disease to your unborn baby, which could have serious implications such as fetal birth defects and poor pregnancy. Consult your doctor before traveling to any Zika virus infected area and if possible delay the visits to such area. However, if you cannot avoid the travel, you need to take precautions such as wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants, use of mosquito repellents (which are safe for pregnant women), use of bed nets amongst others.
Q: Who is at risk of Zika infection?
A: If you live in an area where lot of mosquitoes are present with prevailing cases of Zika infection and if you are not previously exposed to the virus, you may be at a risk of getting infected.
Q: What is the difference between Zika, dengue, and chikungunya?
A: Zika, dengue, and chikungunya all display similar symptoms and there are very few differences between them.
While patients with dengue usually report high fever and severe muscle pain, with chikungunya the fever is usually higher with more intense joint pain in the hands, feet, knees and even the back. The pain is so severe that people could have difficulty walking or performing simple day-to-day activities.
Most patients with Zika infection have skin rashes and some even have conjunctivitis.
Q: Can Zika fever cause death?
A: No deaths due to Zika virus fever have been recorded in any of the outbreaks of this disease so far.
However, few cases of more serious complications in patients with pre-existing diseases or conditions have been reported, with fatal outcomes.
Q: Can I be infected repeatedly with Zika virus?
A: Till date, there have been no reported cases of patients getting Zika virus infection more than once. The immune response to the disease is responsible for giving lifelong immunity.
