Zika Virus: A New Contagious Disease

One ongoing case that has evolved in the United States throughout the past couple of years is the Zika virus. The Chicago Tribune wrote “Commentary: To fight Zika, Deploy the National Guard” which was written on May 27, 2016 by ML Cavanaugh. According to http://www.mlcavanaugh.com, ML Cavanaugh is a United States Army strategist and has taught classes in the defense and strategic studies program. He was the youngest recipient of the “Order of Saint Gabriel the Archangel” according to mlcavanaugh.com.

This BBC News article discusses the spreading Zika virus in Spain. Sources in Spain have broken the news that the first diagnosed case of a pregnant woman contracting the virus had occurred in the country of Spain. The article discusses how this case, as well as most other cases currently diagnosed in Spain, had been contracted outside of the country in regions where the virus is rampant. The article also talks about the widespread fear that the Zika virus is the cause of some birth defects, specifically underdeveloped brains in infants.

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

The Zika virus is a virus that is mostly spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. It is a widespread virus in Asia and Africa. This virus is not a new diseased that just developed, it has been around for years. Zika was first exposed in Uganda in 1947. Nonetheless, fear didn’t start arising until this year 2016. This virus is best explained as discomfort in the muscle, a fever, being weak and symptoms possibly lasting for days. It’s quite a different virus to detect compare to other viruses’ symptoms. Zika posts danger to the human body but more importantly, it places pregnant women and babies at more danger than anyone else. This virus can be easily passed from a pregnant women to her fetus, putting her life and her child life in danger. If the virus is transmitted to the embryo, the virus will produce severe damage to the baby’s growth and the women life. Considering this, we need to extremely pay close attention to our health and this virus.

“The Zika pandemic has reached the united states” millions have read across headlines in the US spreading panic and fear. Most of the fear comes from a lack of understanding of the Zika virus. The Zika virus is not a dangerous to most healthy adults and child causing only symptoms of joint pain, rash, low grade fever and red eyes, though most patients exhibit little to no symptoms. While the disease is not harmful to healthy adults and children it can have dangerous effects on pregnant women’s unborn child. Zika can cause the fetus to develop microcephaly which causes the baby’s head to be born abnormally small, decreased brain size causing causes cognitive deficiencies and vision disabilities. In the US the Zika pandemic has the greatest effect on US common wealth Puerto

About 1 in 5 people who get infected with Zika virus become very ill. The symptoms that are most common are fever, rash, joint pain or red eyes, which is very similar to dengue and chikungunya. The symptoms can last several days to a week.

The Zika virus was found in the amniotic fluid of a women who gave birth to a child with microcephaly, a defect in which a child’s head is much smaller than average. An increase in cases of microcephaly among newborns brought cautionary attention to women possibly carrying the Zika virus and the risk of having children. Researchers believe the virus is only transmitted through mosquitoes, but that explains why the virus is spreading across countries and continents. Though it is not booming in North America, travelers have visited the country while they carried the virus.

On February 1st, WHO announced that the zika virus has caused a global health emergency. By then, it was found in 64 countries, with Brazil bearing the highest amount of cases. While there has been speculation of it being brought into Brazil during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, this information while important to many, is rather extraneous information.

In May of 2015, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) released a warning with regards to the very first affirmed case of the Zika viral strain condition in Brazil. The appearance in Brazil resulted in accounts of Guillain-Barre symptoms and even

As Zika migrated across the globe, its symptoms seemed to progress with its travel. As the virus traveled it mutated and evolved to include a vast array of different symptoms and accelerated its ability to affect more populations. In today’s society, the symptoms of Zika are a lot more severe and more prevalent than ever in the past. Scientists link this rise in severity and prevalence of symptoms to an increased number of transmission routes and symptoms. Thirty years ago, we did not see the neurological symptoms that we see today. Zika was thought of as just a mild

Over the last several years, there has been an increasing presence of diseases such as Ebolie and the Zika. The virus is a disease that is caused by Aedes species mosquito infected with the Zika virus which is transmitted to human beings when they are bitten. When an individual is bitten he or she will experience symptoms such as a fever, red rash, pain in their joints and conjunctivitis (red eyes). Upon being bitten by an infected mosquito, an individual will experience his or her illness for a few days to week, depending on their immune system and most likely will not require a hospital visit. However, if the individual is a pregnant woman, the bite from the infected mosquito, will cause minor health issues to the unborn fetus. The first time the world heard of the Zika virus was in 1947 and the first case was in 1952. The case was in the forest of Zika forest of Uganda and after that case, the next cases were reported in Southeast Asia, Pacific Islands and tropical Africa.

CDC reports, “humans are the primary amplifying host for Zika virus. An estimated 80% of persons who are infected with Zika virus are asymptomatic. Symptomatic disease generally is mild and characterized by acute onset of fever, maculopapular rash, arthralgia, or nonpurulent conjunctivitis. Symptoms usually last from several days to 1 week. Based on information from previous outbreaks, severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon, and fatalities are rare” (Hennessey, 2016). Most people who are infected with the virus don’t even know they are infected. That’s why many countries that are infected are urging people to use protection during sexual intercourse and to avoid pregnancy. According to CNN, “One in 10 pregnant women with confirmed Zika infection had a fetus or baby with Zika-related complications in 2016” (Goldschmidt,

The Zika virus was first introduced to South America On May 2015 in Brazil. Now with the Rio Olympics done, panic is spreading. Tourism warnings are cautioning pregnant women not to go to countries infected by the Zika (ZIKV). Pregnant ladies who are infected with the Zika virus may pass the infection onto their unborn children. However, a team of scientists from Florida State University, Johns Hopkins University and the National Institutes of Health have found existing drugs that can stop Zika from replicating in the body and from damaging fetal brains (7). It is not a cure for the Zika virus, but it is a one step closer to finding a cure.

The Zika virus is a rising disease among pregnant women and infected people. Although the infectious disease is not sporadic where you live, it is spreading quickly among many people. Like I explained earlier, according to doctors, the disease is a, “pandemic in progress.” If you’re like me, you probably think this rising disease is very unseemly, and especially to those who are participating in the summer Olympics. Before I leave you, I will ask you a question from earlier. Can others contract Zika if they are not

Zika virus is not a harsh disease, but can cause birth defects (microcephaly) and a neurologic disease (Guillain-Bare syndrome). The Zika virus birth