Two Pregnant Women in Illinois Contract 'Zika' Virus

Doctors are monitoring the conditions of the women, who recently visited countries where the virus has been located, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

 

Humans contract Zika through the bite of an infected mosquito, much like the more well-known West Nile virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms can last up to a week and typically include fever, rash, joint pain and pink eye. There is no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment.

 

Illness resulting from Zika usually is mild but there are concerns of the virus potentially leading to severe birth defects. The CDC found the Zika virus in the brains of two Brazilian babies who had microcephaly and died shortly after birth. No definitive causal link between the virus and microcephaly has been confirmed, but the CDC issued a travel alert last week urging pregnant women in the Americas to be particularly vigilant to avoid mosquito bites.

 

Source: Chicago Tribune