Zika Virus: 7 things you need to know about the deadly viral infection

Lately, the mosquito-borne Zika virus has become a global emergency and a subject of global concern, even as the World Health Organization has projected that up to 4 million people may be affected in the ongoing outbreak.

As of today, cases of the viral infection have been reported in 23 countries across the Central and South America. In fact, latest statistics revealed that 36 people in the United States, including 4 pregnant women have been diagnosed with Zika virus infection.

Highlighted below are answers to some of the questions you may want to ask about the Zika virus:
1. What is Zika Virus?

It is a mosquito-borne virus first identified in 1947 among Rhesus monkeys in Uganda. About five years later, Zikavirus was identified in humans in Uganda and Tanzania. Since then, outbreaks of the virus have been recorded in the Americas, Africa, Asia and the Pacific. This virus belongs to the flavivirus genre where Yellow Fever and Dengue also belong.

2. How is Zika Virus transmitted?

So far, it has been established that Zika virus is mosquito-borne. It is usually transmitted to people when they get bitten by an infected mosquito of the Aedes genus, especially Aedesaegyptii, the same mosquito implicated in the transmission of Yellow Fever, Dengue Fever and Chikungunya. Unlike the female Anopheles mosquito which transmits malaria, Aedes mosquito has been described as a daytime mosquito because it usually bites during the morning and evening hours.

3. How can one know if one has Zika Virus?

Although the time of exposure to onset of symptoms (incubation period) is yet unclear for Zika virus, experts have said it is likely to be a few days. The infected individual may experience mild symptoms of fever, skin rashes, muscle and joint pains, headache, malaise and red eyes. Note, however, that only about 20% of infected individuals will show symptoms which typically last for 2 – 7 days.

4. Can Zika Virus wreak any havoc?

Intensive research is still ongoing to establish a definite link between Zika virus infection in pregnant women and babies born with small heads (microcephaly). In Brazil which is the worst hit by the current outbreak, more than 4000 children have been diagnosed with microcephaly – a condition where a baby is born with an abnormally small head and by implication, a small brain. Such a baby will most likely experience delays in achieving developmental milestones as well as possible mental retardation in future. In the same vein, the current Zika virus outbreak has been linked with a higher number of cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare paralysis syndrome that may occur after some viral or bacterial infections.

5. How is Zika Virus diagnosed?

A highly sensitive and specific method employed in the diagnosis of Zika virus is the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) which is based on a process that produces multiple copies of the viral DNA. Since the virus can easily cross-react with similar flaviviruses such as Dengue and Yellow Fever, serological diagnosis is not reliable since it can lead to false-positive results.

6. Can Zika Virus be treated?

Currently, no drug treatment or vaccine has been discovered for Zika virus. However, since the symptoms are often mild, supportive treatment will often suffice such as drinking plenty fluids for adequate hydration, pain relief, bed rest and control of fever.

7. Can Zika Virus be prevented?

Yes, Zika virus infection is preventable by eliminating potential sources of the Aedes mosquito and preventing contact between the mosquito and people. How can this be achieved? By clearing your environment of potential breeding sites such as stagnant water or overgrown bushes, use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets, use of insect repellant creams, putting on clothes that cover as much of the body as possible since the Zika virus often bites during the day. In combating this menace, Brazil has now deployed thousands of workers to scour her cities for mosquito breeding grounds while also fumigating those areas and educating residents on the dangers of still and stagnant water where the female Aedes mosquitoes lay their eggs.

Culled from www.nigerianbulletin.com
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7 factors that lead to parents breaking up

When Statistics Sweden released 2012 numbers showing that one in three couples with small children gets separated, researchers at the University of Gothenburg, also in Sweden, began to investigate the biggest causes of these breakups. They came up with seven factors: strains from parenthood, stressful conditions, lack of intimacy, insufficient communication, differing personalities and interests, no commitment (in the relationship), and negative effects of addiction.

These categories were based on 452 parents’ answers to a scientific questionnaire measuring relationship quality. Parents responded at three points in time — when their first child was 6 months old, 4 years old, and 8 years old. After four years, 23 of the couples had separated and another 16 were no longer together after eight years. Researchers used the questionnaires to measure the broken couples’ relationship qualities before they separated and compared the data with that of the parents who stayed together.

Yahoo Parenting spoke with the study’s lead researcher, Malin Hansson, a doctoral student at the Sahlgrenska Academy, as well as Wendy Walsh, PhD, a clinical psychologist and author of The 30-Day Love Detox, about how couples can strengthen their partnerships in the face of these seven not-so-unfamiliar factors.

Strains from parenthood
New parents deal with lots of first-time challenges, and they want to know they’re not alone. The importance of sharing the responsibilities for home and children is huge, according to Hansson. “Studies show that the relationship lasts longer and the couple is in better harmony when both partners take an active share of responsibility,” she says. Give each parent separate areas to handle, especially in the early days, so that no one person feels overly burdened.

Stressful conditions
Having young children creates “the most stressful time in the home,” says Walsh. Parents are especially in need of acknowledgment and appreciation — almost constantly, according to Hansson. “Show kindness, understanding, love, consideration, and respect for your partner,” she says. Even just saying, regularly, “I appreciate that you’re changing her diaper” can go a long way toward stress relief.

Lack of intimacy
Among all couples included in the research, sensuality and sexuality were at their lowest levels when their child was around age 4 — and the average age of the first child at the time of the separation or divorce was 4 years and 8 months. So how to turn up the heat? “The key is sensuality in everyday life, a lot of hugs, kisses, and physical contact,” Hansson says. “Sensuality leads to intimacy, which in turn leads to a sense of belonging and trust.”

Insufficient communication
“It’s very normal to have a temporary downturn in relationships when the kids are young,” says Walsh, adding that it will pass if the couple talks about ways to compensate. “Commenting on it and being aware of it is key. You can say, ‘Hey, we’re too tired for sex, but we miss it. Can we hug for 20 seconds in the morning to get some endorphins flowing?’ These small conversations save marriages.” If the downturn gets ignored, Walsh notes, that’s when trouble starts. Hansson recommends talking openly, clearly, and with straight “I-messages” when expressing a need. For example, instead of saying, “You never help me!” say, “I’d appreciate it if we cleared the table together before we sit down in front of the TV.”

Differing personalities and interests
Before kids, there was a lot of time for both people in the couple to pursue their own passions — and differing views on how to spend time after having kids can cause problems. “If you were to generalize, you could say that the separated fathers wanted to have more time for themselves, while the mothers wanted more time together with both their partner and with their children,” Hansson says. The solution? Honor both needs. Create some family time and some alone time for each parent. Even just 20 minutes at a cafe with a newspaper — or reading a book or practicing guitar — can help de-stress Mom or Dad.

Lack of commitment 
When there are issues between couples, it’s easy to ignore them instead of stirring up a fight. But the longer couples go without talking, the less engaged in the relationship they become. “Many of the separated couples reported that they waited too long to seek help when there were problems,” Hansson says. “Once they sought help, the issues had already gone so far that they could not find their way back to each other.” Seek counseling or some form of outside support early, before resentment builds.

Addiction
This is another area in which getting help early can keep a couple together. While Hansson acknowledges that “it is not always bad that parents separate,” she stresses that there are “unnecessary divorces” that are a result of a temporary downturn in the relationship, which could be avoided with more support — especially when substance abuse is involved.

Culled from www.yahoo.com/parenting
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