The Zika Virus
What is the Zika virus exactly? Have you heard of it before? Have you seen what it has done? It's just now starting to affect people in the U.S. The Zika virus is a usually mild disease that's transmitted through mosquitos. Most people recover, and severe illness or deaths from the virus are rare. The Zika virus is especially dangerous for pregnant women and their babies, and is thought to be spread around Central and South America to which pregnant women have been advised to not travel, because of results in sickness, and fatal birth defects in newborn babies. However many things are being done to fight the virus at all costs.
The Zika virus actually came from an ordinary creature, and is now floating from human to human,
…show more content…
The World Health Organization (WHO) says as many as 4 million people could be infected in the next year in America. Subsequently, “On January 27th, Brazilian health officials reported a total of 4,180 cases since October 2015, and 287 more cases more cases a week earlier.” (Rosen 16). Health officials take a lot of time investigating many cases that have appeared in more than 20 countries, including the Caribbean, and Central and South America. The amount is rising more and more. In addition, the only places that were recorded to not receive the mosquito-borne virus were Canada and Chile, because of their lack of a large mosquito population. However, what does that mean for the …show more content…
All they do is drink your blood and leave you itchy right? Unfortunately for pregnant women that's not the case. The Zika virus has been linked to rare brain defects in newborn babies, and has women in Zika stricken areas and the health organizations around the world worried. Initially, “the threat of the Zika virus is the greatest in pregnant women as it is suspected to be linked with the incomplete brain development in babies known as microcephaly. It is also suspected to have caused some cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome”(Biesiada 1). The Zika virus for a normal adult is a mild disease, with the list of symptoms short. However, in pregnant women, it’s very harmful for newborn babies and fetuses. Microcephaly in babies is a condition where babies are born with small heads and sometimes small brains, the condition can also cause death. As well as Guillain-Barre syndrome, which also occurs in babies infected by the Zika virus,. Though very rare, the body's immune system attacks the nervous system, sometimes resulting in
Community health nurses face a multitude of challenges as they strive to improve health outcomes in the community and monitor and manage diseases. Valued for their adaptability, ability, and willingness to provide care in many settings, including schools, homeless shelters, and community health clinics, community health nurses provide comprehensive care to their clients wherever the client is located. Perhaps one of the more complex and challenging areas for a community health nurse is that of infectious diseases. With the advent of the Zika virus into the United States, community health nurses must be up to date on the latest studies and recommendations from the Centers for Diseases Control (CDC). Since much of the recent information released centers on the Zika virus and pregnant women, it is imperative community nurses know not only what the virus is, but how it is transmitted, assessment findings, and educating the community on ways to prevent the virus.
In Salt Lake City, a man got the zika virus by touching his dad’s tears and sweat with his bare hands. That’s what scientists think anyway. They actually say it was probably because he had 100,000 times the regular level of disease. They won't’ give details on why his dad’s levels were so high or why the kid got the disease from touching his sweat, but, you know, as I have mentioned before, doctors are liars. The 73 year old man had prostate cancer eight months before he had the zika, so that could have contributed to why he had the zika so bad but a doctor named Sankar Swaminathan says that cancer doesn’t explain why the man had such atrociously high levels of the virus. He got sick after getting back from Mexico. He ate some ceviche and boiled
Zika virus was discovered by scientists in the Zika rainforest in a remote part of Uganda in 1947, in the serum of an infected rheseus monkey. With five thousand two hundred thirty- four known cases of the infectious virus documented in the United States. There is currently no vaccination for the flu like virus. The chief concern of the healthcare administration is to continue to take preventive measures to prevent contracting the virus. Within the same flavivirus family
A woman who is pregnant can transmit the Zika virus to her baby. Babies who have been infected with the virus can be born with microcephaly, a birth defect that impacts head size and brain development.
Base on the scientist Zika virus is a mosquito and is only worse in pregnant women or in infants. According to the research, there are so many ways that you can prevent yourself from zika virus either do not get pregnant in those countries that are infected or get an abortion if you have the virus and wait for a while until there is either a vaccine, or the virus is controllable. I have leaned Ebola virus in class, but it seems like Ebola virus is so much worse and serious that zika to me. Ebola killed men and women of all age, it also could spread faster, while the zika virus is too weak to kill a grown man or woman, it only gives them a fever or a rush, also it does not spread from man to man that is it.
In the recent article, “Zika outbreak: What you need to know” by the BBC, the World Health Organization released valuable information regarding how to detect the disease, and what steps you can take to prevent it. Some of the common symptoms of Zika are; mild fever, red and sore eyes, headaches, joint pain, and rashes. Death from Zika is rare, but a very uncommon disorder can be caused by Zika called Guillain-Barré syndrome. This disorder will cause temporary paralysis. As of now, there are no drugs or vaccines that will help prevent Zika, but those who have the disease should rest and drink plenty of water. The largest concern regarding Zika is the impact it has on fetuses still developing in the womb. Zika can cause another serious disorder
Dr. Sarah Park, State Epidemiologist for the Hawaii State Department of Health responded to reporters last week about a baby that was born in a Hawaii hospital with a birth defect linked to the Zika virus. It was reported that this is the first case in the United States linked to the Zika virus. The Hawaii State Health Department said that the mother probably contracted the disease while she was living in Brazil last year and passed the disease to her child while her child was still in the womb. Dr. Parks assured the public that there was no risk of the virus spreading from this case and that the Zika virus is spread when a mosquito bites an infected person and then bites someone else. The disease is not transmitted person to person. Dr.
Also known as the Zika virus, is now spreading into 2 species in many parts of Brazil. Researchers in Brazil have stated that out of 500 mosquitos, 450 mosquitos are contained with this insane virus we all call, “Zika Virus.” This disease is really shocking to the world since the Summer Olympic Games are happening and many countries, especially from the United States because most athletes are scared that they might bring home the virus and spread it in their nations or it's just painful to have it when you're in a country that is nowhere home.The reason why I picked this current events is that this virus has been going around for quite a while now and it's still amazing how a small mosquito can end up killing a person in many ways. It's also shocking when you hear an athlete who has a chance to win a gold medal for their country, but they are denying it because of their health issues and the future consequences that could happen. Remember that the Olympic is only every 4 years, so it has been a long time for them to train and not being able to go is a shame, but also its for their own health conditions, not what citizens want to see, a guy with a virus coming home. This “Zika Virus” has no end to it yet because there is no cure yet to be found and there has not been a human trail yet done to fix this
When people think of the word ‘epidemic’, they generally imagine a widespread disease that threatens humanity as a whole. While most of the hysteria associated with pandemics stem purely from fiction, it can be understandable why people always fear the worst. That is why when an outbreak of the Zika Virus was reported in the United States, an overall feeling of malaise set in. As of September 21, 2016, a total of 3,358 cases of the Zika Virus have been reported (“Center for Disease Control and Prevention”). Though the numbers are alarming, there is no need for a national quarantine or emergency evacuation. In reality, the Zika Virus is not as intimidating as society puts it out to be. The panic and confusion associated with
February 1, 2016 the World Health announced a PHEIC (Public Health Emergency of International Concern) that declared the Zika virus was a global health emergency. Brazil being the most affected country in the world right now has cases where pregnant women with the virus have given birth to children with smaller heads causing their brains to not develop correctly.The Zika virus is a flavivirus (Karimi) that is related to the common dengue virus and West Nile disease. A flavivirus is a group of RNA (a ribonucleic acid), that are mostly carried by mosquitoes, flies, fleas, etc. The virus carried causes severe human diseases, that are most commonly related to the Dengue and West Nile disease. The disease
Based on the statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more than 23,000 people in the mainland U.S. and Puerto Rico have contracted the Zika virus. Especially, there are more than 2,000 pregnant women, which is especially troubling because the virus can cause birth defects. The CDC estimates that 20 babies in the mainland U.S. and 1 baby in Puerto Rica have been born with birth defects related to Zika. The Zika virus can cause microcephaly – a condition where a baby's head and brain are undersized and underdeveloped – in as many as 13 percent of babies born to women who get infected while pregnant. It is also linked to several other types of birth defects, and to Guillain-Barre syndrome in adults. As the result, the deal reached in Congress includes $394 million to help control Zika-carrying mosquitoes and another $397 million to help develop a vaccine against the virus and better tests to help diagnose cases of Zika. There is also $66 million allocated to health care for people affected by Zika in Puerto Rico and other U.S.
I have decided to discuss the article “Where's Zika Most Likely in the U.S.? The Answer May Surprise You” by Maggie Fox. There is a lot of concern in the news, throughout the healthcare industry, and the United States about Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and its’ role in the cause and symptoms of the Zika virus. Many factors play into an ideal climate for the mosquitoes. Heat, humidity, and heavy rains in the summertime will provide an ideal climate for them to thrive. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2016), “Zika virus spreads to people primarily through mosquito bites. The most common symptoms of Zika virus disease are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting from several days to a week. Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon” (Zika virus, para. 1). However, the fear that there will be a major Zika virus outbreak here in the United States is unsubstantiated at this time. The CDC (2016) notes, “Outbreaks of Zika have occurred in areas of Africa, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and the
How is the Zika virus affecting pregnant women in the United States? A report published Tuesday by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, provided evidence of the risk of birth defects increasing when women are infected in the first trimester. The hypothesis of the report indicated that one in 10 pregnant women with Zika virus in U.S. have babies with birth defects and that there was at least one pregnant woman with a suspected Zika virus infection in every state of the United States. The USZPR includes data of the 50 states and Washington, D.C. This study was in response to the recent outbreak of Zika virus cases worldwide and the concerns of birth defects linked to this virus. Babies infected with the Zika virus are born with small heads, known as microcephaly, a
In conclusion the zika virus is a dangerous thing to the humans and the other animals out in the world. I hope you have learn something about this. Like the effect it could have on you or other
Aside from the dangerous symptoms, the real difficulty is how it affects pregnant women. Zika virus can be given from the mother to the baby throughout pregnancy as can result in a condition called microcephaly (the head is smaller than normal because the brain has not properly developed or is not growing) (“Zika Virus” par. 4). This can be deadly in newborn babies and is why Zika is one of the more feared