Zika Virus Research Paper

By getting the virus from a bite the mosquito must already be infected itself. There are studies currently happening trying to figure out how long exactly does the virus stay inside the semen and vaginal fluids of those who are infected, also being studied is how long it can be passed to their partners. Although the U.S. hasn't seen any cases of the disease being transmitted by blood transfusion it has been seen in other places in the world. An example would be the French Polynesian outbreak, around 2% of those donating blood tested positive for Zika however, in previous outbreaks the virus was also found. Just one case in the United States shows of someone getting ill through a laboratory yet, prior situations show four cases of someone getting the virus in a laboratory

As of now, there is no official vaccine for Zika. Instead, a patient that has the contagion must undergo certain treatments. Fortunately, the remedies for the virus are simple and cheap. If infection occurs, it is vital to get an abundance of rest and liquids; medication is also advised to assist in alleviating pain. The treatments for Zika are straightforward because the disease itself is rather mild. In fact, in most reported cases of the virus in the United States, the illness only lasted approximately two to seven days prior to the first set of symptoms (“World Health Organization”). It is evident that the fear associated with the Zika Virus is slightly exaggerated. Currently, there is only one recorded fatality in the United States that is directly related to Zika (“The Washington Post”). This is mainly because first world countries’ medical programs are advanced enough to effectively treat the virus. The standard of living in these countries are also higher compared to third world countries. That is why Zika has claimed a significant amount of lives worldwide; the poor conditions in these countries make it difficult for infected individuals to get proper

“This study marks a turning point in the Zika outbreak. It is now clear that the virus causes microcephaly”( Tom Frieden). Microcephaly is an abnormal smallness of the head, a congenital condition associated with incomplete brain development. With the Olympics being held in Brazil, there is much cause to attention the potential disease being brought back to the U.S. by female athletes bringing an epidemic to carry havoc on the citizens of the United States. It can be spread very easily through mosquito bites of the yellow fever mosquito. From the mosquitoes, the virus does not cause many symptoms to its victims generating unknown awareness of the virus. “ Only one in five people who become infected with Zika virus will feel sick. Symptoms of Zika virus infection include fever, rash, pink eye, pains in joints, pain behind the eyes, headache, and muscle pains”( Levison, Matthew). The symptoms, if any, last 4-7 days in most cases. The Zika Virus is an easily spread disease with few symptoms.

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

“Zika virus can pass back and forth between people and mosquitoes—most people get Zika from a mosquito bite, but infected people can also pass Zika to mosquitoes that bite them” (Schmidt, 2016).

It spreads to humans primarily through the bite of an infected mosquito species (Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus). Symptoms of this virus is either mild or do not have any symptoms at all. If it does show any symptoms, then it lasts up to a week. If pregnant women are infected with Zika virus then it can result in birth defects called microcephaly and even other severe brain defects.

The Zika Virus is a condition that initially started in Brazil and has now made its way around the world by transmission of mosquitos.The symtoms of Zika virus are typically last only a week or so and include fever, rash, and aching joints. Many adults contract the virus with no symptoms, which makes it easy to spread to their partners through sexual transmission and even onto their fetus if they are pregnant (Jin). Women began bearing children that were born with microcephaly, which is a condition that causes the head and brain to be smaller than normal. It is thought that the Zika virus starts to delay the growth of the skull from the beginning of fetal development (Teixeira). Serology tests are used to detect the virus in the mother, and

People who are infected with Zika won’t even notice, signs of being infected are, pain in eyes, fever, chills, joints or muscle fatigue, sweating and loss

Another way the Zika virus is transmitted is through a mosquito bite. When the mosquito (Aedes) becomes infected with Zika it will infect the people it bites. This will lead to more mosquitos getting infected,

The Zika virus is primarily spread through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito (https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/22/7/15-1990_article). The Zika virus can pass from a pregnant woman to her fetus during pregnancy, which can result in serious birth defects such as microcephaly and Down syndrome. Currently the virus has not been found in breast milk. Zika can also be sexually transmitted. Evidence has been found in blood donors that do not show any signs or symptoms of having the Zika virus. Blood transfusions and organ transplants can also be another way for the virus to be transmitted

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.

Zika Virus swept the media in 2016. It reminded everyone of the 1999 West Nile virus because of the similarities amongst the symptoms of the two viruses. Contrastingly, Zika Virus has a slightly different mode of transmission. The virus is a member of the flaviviridae family and flavivirus genus and is a positive, single stranded, RNA virus (Kuno, 1). Zika Virus has been known to severely affect pregnant women. In pregnant women, Zika Virus causes a birth defect resulting in abnormally small brain sizes in babies called microcephaly. Mosquito born Zika Virus transmission has been reported in 68 countries and 14 of those countries have reported microcephaly associated with Zika Virus (Kelley,1). A mosquito infected with Zika Virus that bites

Zika virus was first discovered in 1947 in Uganda and is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. It can cause a fever, joint pain, a rash, and pink eye, but most

“Since 2014, at least 1,638 babies with grievous birth defects have been born to women in Brazil who were infected with Zika during their pregnancies…” (Healy, 2016, p.1). The reason this is so important is because children are our future, and that if this number keeps rising it could have a huge impact on the future. It can cause cultural, social, and economic issues upon medical issues.

In 1947 in the Zika forest the Zika virus was discovered and isolated in a rhesus monkey that was placed in captivity by the Yellow Fever Research Institute. 1,2 Zika virus is an arthropod-borne flavivirus transmitted by aedes mosquitoes. Zika is closely related to viruses such as dengue, yellow fever, and West Nile. The first human cases occurred in 1952 in Uganda and Tanzania. 1,2 The virus began spreading and sporadic infections began to occur in Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. Outbreaks have recently spread to the Americas, the Caribbean and areas of the Pacific. The first major outbreak occurred in the Yap Islands located in Micronesia in 2007. During this outbreak more than 70 percent of the population became infected. Following the outbreak in the Yap Islands the virus began to surface in French Polynesia in 2013-2014. 1,2 In February 2014 cases of the