Which vector cause Zika virus disease?

NORCET 2 -2021 (Shift-2)

Applied Microbiology & Infection control

Easy

Appeared in: NORCET 2 -2021 (Shift-2)

Explanation

Zika virus is primarily transmitted by mosquitoes of the Aedes species, specifically Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus.
These mosquitoes are also responsible for spreading other significant arboviral diseases like Dengue, Chikungunya, and Yellow Fever.
Aedes mosquitoes are characterized as aggressive daytime biters, though they can also bite at night.
Transmission can also occur perinatally from mother to fetus, through sexual contact, and via blood transfusions.

Option A: Ticks are arachnids, not insects, and are not the vectors for the Zika virus.
Option B: Sandflies are vectors for different pathogens, primarily the protozoa that cause Leishmaniasis.
Option C: While Culex is a genus of mosquito, it transmits different viruses and parasites than the Zika virus.

Visual 1: Image: Side-by-side comparison of Aedes, Culex, and Anopheles mosquitoes, highlighting the distinctive white markings ('lyre' shape) on the thorax and banded legs of the Aedes mosquito.
Visual 2: Infographic: A table listing common arthropod vectors (mosquitoes, ticks, flies, fleas) and the major diseases they transmit, with images of each vector.
Visual 3: Map: A world map showing the geographical distribution of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, highlighting regions with active Zika virus transmission.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Vector-borne diseases and their causative agents helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Nurses play a crucial role in public health education regarding vector control, including eliminating breeding sites (source reduction) and advising on personal protective measures like repellents and clothing.
A key nursing responsibility is screening and counseling pregnant women about the risks of Zika virus, including the link to congenital microcephaly, and advising against travel to endemic areas.
What if? If a patient presented with similar symptoms (fever, rash, joint pain) but had recently traveled to a rural area in Africa, the differential diagnosis would need to be broadened to include Malaria (transmitted by the Anopheles mosquito), requiring a different diagnostic and management approach.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question: it asks for the specific vector of the Zika virus.
Recognize this as a factual recall question, common in community health nursing and microbiology, linking a specific disease to its mode of transmission.
Mentally review the common arthropod vectors and the major diseases they transmit. Create associations: Aedes with Dengue/Chikungunya/Zika; Anopheles with Malaria; Culex with Japanese Encephalitis; Sandfly with Kala-azar; Ticks with Lyme disease.
Evaluate the given options against your knowledge base.
The option 'Aedes' is the correct and well-established vector for the Zika virus.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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