Which one of the following statements regarding Zika virus is not correct ?
It was first isolated from a monkey in the Zika forest of Uganda
It is transmitted by daytime-active Aedes mosquitoes
It does not cause mother to child infection
Zika virus in pregnant women results in abnormal brain development of the fetus
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2016
A) It was first isolated from a monkey in the Zika forest of Uganda: This is correct. The virus was first identified in rhesus monkeys in the Zika Forest of Uganda in 1947 during research on yellow fever.
B) It is transmitted by daytime-active Aedes mosquitoes: This is correct. Zika virus is primarily transmitted by the bite of infected Aedes species mosquitoes, particularly Aedes aegypti, which are known to bite during the day.
C) It does not cause mother to child infection: This is incorrect. Zika virus can be transmitted from a pregnant woman to her fetus during pregnancy or around the time of birth. This is known as congenital Zika syndrome.
D) Zika virus in pregnant women results in abnormal brain development of the fetus: This is correct. Infection during pregnancy, particularly in the first trimester, is strongly linked to microcephaly and other severe brain abnormalities in the developing fetus.