The Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands has announced this Wednesday that two cases of patients affected by the Zika virus have been detected on the islands, although it clarifies that these are "imported" cases. These are 2 women who had been in Latin America in the 15 days prior to the onset of symptoms. "Both developed a mild clinical picture, have not required hospital admission and are in good health," they say from the Ministry, which stresses that neither of the two women is pregnant.
Both cases have been confirmed by the Reference Laboratory of the National Center for Microbiology of Majadahonda (Madrid) and meet the case definition criteria established in the surveillance protocol of the "Zika Virus Disease", which is currently active for all of the Canary Islands. According to the latest update published by the Coordinating Center for Alerts and Emergencies, as of March 15 of this year, 43 cases had been confirmed in Spain, to which these two would have to be added, of which 5 are pregnant women.
From Saidad they also remember that as a consequence of the entomological surveillance that has been carried out in the Canary Islands by the General Directorate of Public Health with the collaboration of the University Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of the Canary Islands, the transmitting mosquitoes (Aedes aegyptii and Aedes albopictus) have not been detected, "so there is no risk of autochthonous transmission of the disease."
Zika virus disease
Zika virus disease is an emerging pathology transmitted by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes. It presents a generally mild symptomatology that can go unnoticed or be diagnosed as dengue, chikungunya or other viral pathologies that present with fever and rash. Recently, serious neurological conditions have been described associated with previous infections with this virus.
The main symptoms are fever (> 37.2ºC), maculo-papular rash (frequently extends from the face to the rest of the body), arthritis or transient arthralgia with inflammation of joints (mainly in the small joints of hands and feet), conjunctival hyperemia and other non-specific symptoms such as myalgia, fatigue and headache. The incubation period ranges between 3 and 12 days and the duration of symptoms between 2 and 7 days. Asymptomatic infections are frequent and it is estimated that only 1 in 4 infected people develop clinical symptoms.
The Zika virus is transmitted by the bite of a mosquito of the genus Aedes. There is also evidence that perinatal transmission from infected and viremic mothers is possible, transplacentally or during childbirth. The virus has been detected in blood, saliva, urine, semen and breast milk. The possibility of transmission by sexual route as well as by blood transfusion has been described.
Surveillance of Zika Virus Disease
The Public Health Commission approved on February 15, 2016 the Epidemiological Surveillance Protocol for Zika virus disease, prepared with the aim of establishing the procedures and strategies to detect early possible imported and autochthonous cases and ensure proper management of them.
Doctors of the Canary Islands Autonomous Community must urgently declare all suspected cases of Zika Virus Disease to the Epidemiology and Prevention Service of the Directorate of Public Health of the Canary Islands Health Service.
The document prepared for this purpose by the Epidemiology and Prevention Service of the General Directorate of Public Health of the Canary Islands Health Service establishes the definition of a suspected case, the procedures to be followed, and other Public Health considerations regarding blood donation, possibility of sexual transmission and travel to affected areas.
Control of disease-transmitting mosquitoes in the Canary Islands
"Vector-borne diseases are a priority in the General Directorate of Public Health due to their global emergence and re-emergence," the Canary Islands Government said in a statement. In addition, it stresses that in the Canary Islands "we have been working for years on the detection of disease-transmitting mosquitoes" and that "already in 2008 this community joined the Transnational Cooperation Program, in order to create risk maps of diseases transmitted by mosquitoes."
In collaboration with the University Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of the University of La Laguna, an entomological surveillance program is carried out in airports and ports against imported vectors of exotic infectious diseases.
