Monsoon Misery: 4 Viral Infections You Should Watch Out For, Symptoms, Precaution & Treatment Explained
Chandipura, Nipah, Zika and Covid-19 infections have been reported from different parts of Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra. Most symptoms include fever, neck and chest pain, breathing problems, cough and fatigue among others
Monsoon not only brings relief from the heat rage but also creates a hotbed of viral diseases. Zika, Nipah, Chandipura and Covid-19 infections have been reported from different parts of the country, with some fatalities also seen in few cases.
Let us find out the symptoms and treatment of these four infections.
Zika
Zika virus is primarily transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito from the Aedes genus in tropical and subtropical regions. Zika virus, a mosquito-borne flavivirus, was first isolated in 1947 from the blood of a rhesus monkey in the Zika forest of Uganda. There have been outbreaks ever since, mostly in Africa and South America.
Maharashtra has so far reported 34 Zika cases, with Pune district being the worst hit with 28 cases as of July 19. The state government is actively trying to contain the outbreak.
Symptoms
• The incubation period (the time from exposure to symptoms) of Zika virus disease is estimated to be 3-14 days. The majority of people infected with Zika virus do not develop symptoms.
• Symptoms are generally mild including fever, rash, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise, and headache, and usually last for 2–7 days.
• Zika virus infection is also a trigger of Guillain-Barré syndrome, neuropathy and myelitis, particularly in adults and older children.
• Zika infection in pregnancy also results in pregnancy complications such as fetal loss, stillbirth, and preterm birth.
Prevention and Treatment
video-carousel• Wear clothing (preferably light-coloured) that covers as much of the body as possible; use physical barriers such as window screens and closed doors and windows; and apply insect repellent to skin or clothing that contains DEET, IR3535 or icaridin according to the product label instructions.
• Young children and pregnant women should sleep under mosquito nets if sleeping during the day or early evening. Travellers and those living in affected areas should take the same basic precautions described above to protect themselves from mosquito bites.
• Try to avoid visiting crowded places especially if you have a weak immune system.
• People should make sure that all pots and buckets around them are emptied so that mosquitoes cannot breed in such stagnant water.
Nipah
The viral infection mainly affects animals such as bats, pigs, dogs, and horses. Being a zoonotic disease, it can transmit to humans who come in contact with the infected animals and cause serious disease.
The virus has killed a 14-year-boy in Kerala, and 60 people have been identified in the high-risk category.
Nipah is classified as a priority pathogen by the World Health Organization (WHO) because of its potential to trigger an epidemic. There is no vaccine to prevent infection and no treatment to cure it. It can cause a lethal, brain-swelling fever in humans.
Symptoms
• Moderate to high grade fever
• Headache
• Vomiting
• Cough
• Breathlessness
• Change in behaviour/sensorium
• Seizures/abnormal movement
• Myalgia or pain in a muscle
• Fatigue
Prevention and Treatment
• Nipah virus infection can be prevented by avoiding exposure to sick pigs and bats in areas where the virus is present, and not drinking raw date palm sap which can be contaminated by an infected bat.
• Personal hygiene includes regular handwash with soap and water, avoiding contact with sick bats or pigs, not eating or drinking products that may be contaminated by bats like raw date palm sap, no contact with the blood or body fluids of any person known to be infected with NiV.
• The treatment of Nipah virus infection is mostly limited to supportive care and management of acute encephalitis syndrome. According to the WHO, there are no drugs or vaccines specific for Nipah available.
Chandipura
Several species of sandflied like Phlebotomine sandflies and Phlebotomus papatasi, and some mosquito species such as Aedes aegypti, which is also a vector for dengue, are considered vectors of Chandipura virus.
The virus disease mostly affects children under the age of 15 years. The disease is endemic, with sporadic cases reported mainly during the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons.
The virus infection has caused 32 deaths in Gujarat, with the tally of confirmed cases gone up to 84 so far.
Symptoms
• The infection is characterised by sudden onset of flu-like symptoms, including high fever, seizures, diarrhea, vomiting, convulsions, and altered sensorium. In severe cases, the viral infection can lead to coma and death.
• According to a report by trio scientists, the primary cause of death for most infected patients is encephalitis, an inflammation of active brain tissues.
• Some studies from India have also reported other symptoms such as respiratory distress, bleeding tendencies, or anaemia.
• The infection affects children below the age of 15 years. The infection progresses rapidly after encephalitis, which may lead to mortality within 24-48 hours.
Treatment
• There is no antiretroviral therapy or vaccine available for treatment. As a result, it is crucial to manage brain inflammation to prevent death.
• Some paediatricians say the disease can progress rapidly from high fever in the morning and the kidney and liver being affected in the evening.
• Effective management including controlling the vectors and maintaining good nutrition, hygiene, health, and public awareness can help curb the spread of virus.
Covid-19
• Actor Akshay Kumar and US President Joe Biden are popular figures who have recently been infected by Covid. In India, the average daily cases are increasing rapidly from 215 per day on June 26 to 307 per day by the end of the first week of July.
• The cause for the sudden increase in numbers is due to new KP.2 variant (FLiRT), known to be a highly transmissible than the previous one resulting in an increased number of cases.
Symptoms
• Symptoms can look like chest pain, fever, difficulty breathing, coughing up blood and swollen and painful neck and digestive issues.
• Research indicates that adults aged 60 and older, especially those with pre-existing medical conditions like heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, or cancer, are more likely to experience severe and potentially fatal Covid-19 infections compared to other age groups.
• The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that there are currently no indicators suggesting that KP.2 would cause more severe illness than other strains.
Prevention and Treatment
• The simple precautions enforced during the pandemic are still encouraged. This includes people wearing masks and avoiding social contact.
• Doctors have urged the public to get vaccinated with the updated vaccines especially those in the higher-risk groups.
video-carousel• Social distancing and the use of well-fitting respirators like N95s or KN95s in indoor public settings protect against all variants of the Covid-19 virus.
• Increased air flow and filtration in indoor spaces also help reduce the concentration of virus particles.
• Wear clothing (preferably light-coloured) that covers as much of the body as possible; use physical barriers such as window screens and closed doors and windows; and apply insect repellent to skin or clothing that contains DEET, IR3535 or icaridin according to the product label instructions.
• Young children and pregnant women should sleep under mosquito nets if sleeping during the day or early evening. Travellers and those living in affected areas should take the same basic precautions described above to protect themselves from mosquito bites.
• Try to avoid visiting crowded places especially if you have a weak immune system.
• People should make sure that all pots and buckets around them are emptied so that mosquitoes cannot breed in such stagnant water.
Nipah
The viral infection mainly affects animals such as bats, pigs, dogs, and horses. Being a zoonotic disease, it can transmit to humans who come in contact with the infected animals and cause serious disease.
The virus has killed a 14-year-boy in Kerala, and 60 people have been identified in the high-risk category.
Nipah is classified as a priority pathogen by the World Health Organization (WHO) because of its potential to trigger an epidemic. There is no vaccine to prevent infection and no treatment to cure it. It can cause a lethal, brain-swelling fever in humans.
Symptoms
• Moderate to high grade fever
• Headache
• Vomiting
• Cough
• Breathlessness
• Change in behaviour/sensorium
• Seizures/abnormal movement
• Myalgia or pain in a muscle
• Fatigue
Prevention and Treatment
• Nipah virus infection can be prevented by avoiding exposure to sick pigs and bats in areas where the virus is present, and not drinking raw date palm sap which can be contaminated by an infected bat.
• Personal hygiene includes regular handwash with soap and water, avoiding contact with sick bats or pigs, not eating or drinking products that may be contaminated by bats like raw date palm sap, no contact with the blood or body fluids of any person known to be infected with NiV.
• The treatment of Nipah virus infection is mostly limited to supportive care and management of acute encephalitis syndrome. According to the WHO, there are no drugs or vaccines specific for Nipah available.
Chandipura
Several species of sandflied like Phlebotomine sandflies and Phlebotomus papatasi, and some mosquito species such as Aedes aegypti, which is also a vector for dengue, are considered vectors of Chandipura virus.
The virus disease mostly affects children under the age of 15 years. The disease is endemic, with sporadic cases reported mainly during the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons.
The virus infection has caused 32 deaths in Gujarat, with the tally of confirmed cases gone up to 84 so far.
Symptoms
• The infection is characterised by sudden onset of flu-like symptoms, including high fever, seizures, diarrhea, vomiting, convulsions, and altered sensorium. In severe cases, the viral infection can lead to coma and death.
• According to a report by trio scientists, the primary cause of death for most infected patients is encephalitis, an inflammation of active brain tissues.
• Some studies from India have also reported other symptoms such as respiratory distress, bleeding tendencies, or anaemia.
• The infection affects children below the age of 15 years. The infection progresses rapidly after encephalitis, which may lead to mortality within 24-48 hours.
Treatment
• There is no antiretroviral therapy or vaccine available for treatment. As a result, it is crucial to manage brain inflammation to prevent death.
• Some paediatricians say the disease can progress rapidly from high fever in the morning and the kidney and liver being affected in the evening.
• Effective management including controlling the vectors and maintaining good nutrition, hygiene, health, and public awareness can help curb the spread of virus.
Covid-19
• Actor Akshay Kumar and US President Joe Biden are popular figures who have recently been infected by Covid. In India, the average daily cases are increasing rapidly from 215 per day on June 26 to 307 per day by the end of the first week of July.
• The cause for the sudden increase in numbers is due to new KP.2 variant (FLiRT), known to be a highly transmissible than the previous one resulting in an increased number of cases.
Symptoms
• Symptoms can look like chest pain, fever, difficulty breathing, coughing up blood and swollen and painful neck and digestive issues.
• Research indicates that adults aged 60 and older, especially those with pre-existing medical conditions like heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, or cancer, are more likely to experience severe and potentially fatal Covid-19 infections compared to other age groups.
• The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that there are currently no indicators suggesting that KP.2 would cause more severe illness than other strains.
Prevention and Treatment
• The simple precautions enforced during the pandemic are still encouraged. This includes people wearing masks and avoiding social contact.
• Doctors have urged the public to get vaccinated with the updated vaccines especially those in the higher-risk groups.
• Social distancing and the use of well-fitting respirators like N95s or KN95s in indoor public settings protect against all variants of the Covid-19 virus.
• Increased air flow and filtration in indoor spaces also help reduce the concentration of virus particles.
Location: New Delhi, India
