ZIKA VIRUS EPIDEMIC – A GLOBAL CONCERN:
“The level of concern is high as is the level of uncertainty,” said the World Health Organization (WHO) Director General –Dr Margaret Chan when briefing the executive board on the Zika situation in Geneva on 28th January 2016. She also mentioned four main reasons as to why the WHO is deeply concerned about the Zika situation, which include the virus’ virulence, potential for further international spread, lack of population immunity and lack of vaccines, specific treatments and Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs). Later on, on 1st February, the WHO declares an international public health emergency after the Zika virus was linked to thousands of birth defects in Brazil. The following paragraphs give an insight on the history, symptoms, diagnosis, transmission and treatment. All this will explain as to why the Zika virus epidemic is a global health concern.
Zika virus is a serious arbovirus (originating from arthropods) belonging to the family flaviviridae, carried and spread mainly by mosquito species known as Aedes aegyptii and A. albopictus (vectors), which thrive in the tropical and equatorial climates. The virus was first identified in Ziika rain forest in Uganda in 1947 in monkeys and later on identified in humans in 1952 in Uganda and Tanzania. More cases were reported between 1960 and 1980 as the virus spread across West Africa and Asia. The first major outbreak was reported in 2007 in the Island of Yap where 73% of its residents were
First isolated from a rhesus monkey in Uganda, the Zika virus (ZIK V) did not pose a serious global threat until recent outbreaks in 2007 on Yap Island in Micronesia and the current outbreak which began in 2013 in the French Polynesia. And, although the virus is transmitted via infected mosquitoes, studies indicate that the disease potentially can be transmitted sexually (Musso, D., Roche, C., Robin, E., Nhan, T., Teissier, A., and
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
April 2015, small but deadly outbreaks began in Brazil, South America. Hundreds of Brazilian women infected by the Zika virus, endanger their unborn children to develop a form of brain damage called, Microcephaly. In the early months of 2016, South America’s CDCP (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) announced the Zika virus has taken full effect, and called for a state of emergency. Researchers today, study the effects of the Zika virus, where it comes/evolved from, and if there is a cure.
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
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.
The Zika virus has affected the world in many ways. It is killing most of the population of the world in diffrent countries, including the U.S.A. the virus has done bad things to this world and scientist are trying to put a stop to this virus. The virus has been know for 50 years but the reason why we are hearing about it know is because of the summer olympics in brazil where the virus is mostly now. The virus could affect some of the athletes competing in the summer olympics this year. The virus is spreading quickly through misquotes.
The Zika virus’s northwards travel from South America has been a trending topic and, often, the reports raise as many questions as they answer. With a history of enabling peace of mind through pandemic consulting, Iridia Medical wants to clear up any misconceptions and rumours by sharing concise and accurate information about this virus.
Zika is a forest in Uganda where the virus was discovered. Although the first case of Zika was discovered in 1947, the virus has just started spreading to America and parts of Asia this year.
The Zika Virus is a member of the Flaviviridae family which is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. Infected people with this virus usually don't notice the disease because the symptoms are not major. However fever, rash, joint pain, muscle pain, headache, or red eyes issues can occur while the person is affected. One benefit of this virus is that once a person has been infected, he or she is protected from future infections. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine or medical treatment to prevent the virus. As a result of doctors and the center for disease
Zika is a virus that is rapidly being spread mostly by the bite of the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. These mosquitoes lay eggs in or around standing water. This disease has been seen in many parts of the world such as Bolivia, Brasil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Suriname, Venezuela, and the United States. Zika has been seen in primates for several years in Uganda since 1947. Five years later, the virus was seen in humans (CDC.gov). The earliest large outbreak since 1952, was in 2007 on the island of Yap. This caused the disease to spread from Africa to Asia (Who.int). Doctors are continuing to see several cases of the Zika virus as the years go by. The Centers for Disease and Prevention Control took
The zika is a member of Flaviviridae family and the virus is transmitted via mosquito to humans and the findings of the experiments done by Dr. Kellie Ann Jurado and her team are extremely important for modern society since it’s a major health problem that even affected Floridian residents. Sika virus has caused a recent epidemic and spread in the Americas. The zika virus is not a new virus but only recently is has being more studied it was isolated from monkeys in 1947. The spread of the zika was relatively silence since the pathogenic consequences it cause were not as great as other viruses. When the sika virus hit the Americas a large group of scientists and Dr. Kellie Ann Jurado included started to see
The virus Zika commonly found in Southwest Asia has suddenly affected Americans in South Flordia and Texas. The virus has spread mostly by the Aedes mosquito which bites a person and passes it onto them. Another transferring method of Zika is from a pregnant woman to its offspring. “Some infants with congenital Zika virus infection who do not have microcephaly at birth may later experience slowed head growth and develop postnatal microcephaly” (CDC). Although Zika is commonly known for birth defects, some women with the virus may not give birth to a defected baby or even have any symptoms. Symptoms do not occur with this virus which makes it hard to find in people. A way of testing is to take urine and blood samples to detect Zika. Also, no treatment or cure has been made. The only way to keep the virus contained is to avoid being bitten or spray for the mosquitos using an areal spray.
Throughout the Caribbean, Central, and South America there has been health crisis that’s has been affecting the youngest generation of these developing countries. Thousands of babies have been born with a birth defect known as microencephaly. This birth defect can cause horrible problems such as seizures, mental retardation, developmental delays, short stature and difficulties with coordination and balance. (Centers for Disease Control 2017) This birth defect often leads to having to provide life-term medical care and it was determined to be caused by the mother acquiring a mosquito-borne infection with the Zika virus. So, what is this Zika virus and how can
The Zika virus is a very dangerous disease, as it has spread around the world very quickly. One of these places in this world is Brazil, a country in South America. The Zika virus is one of the many dangerous viruses in the world, because it has no vaccine and no cure. There are about 7,000 deaths reported each year, only though it only lasts for about two to seven days. It was first reported in Uganda, and it did not harm people until it first hit Yap in 2007. Only some places in the world are not inflicted by the Zika virus, which is not many places. Zika is infecting people all over the contiguous United States since, and has become a big problem in the world.
Zika virus, also known as ZikV, has been in the spotlight with several studies being carried out to better understand the effects of the virus on foetuses and newborns from infected mothers. This increased interest in the virus is as a result of a reported increase in the occurrence of microcephaly in Brazil, an occurrence which researchers suspect to be as a result of a corresponding global increase in the prevalence of this virus (Sarno et al. 2016; WHO 2016). Additionally, although a causal association has not yet been confirmed, there is an increasing consensus that the virus is behind not only this increase in microcephaly but also the observed current increase in the number of cases of Guillan-Barre syndrome (GBS) (Heymann et al. 2016; Schuler-Faccini et al. 2016). Furthermore, other reports have linked this virus to other neurological and Ophthalmological defects (de Paula Freitas et al. 2016; Martines et al. 2016; Mlakar et al. 2016) and a study by Sarno et al. (2016) have further linked it with hydrops foetal and foetal demise.