SARS, H5N1 and ebola are a few of examples of recent pandemics. Joining that list is an up and coming virus called the Zika virus.
The Zika virus is by no means a new virus. In fact, there has been one other previous outbreak in the Pacific Islands in 2007 prior to the current one which started in 2015. But due to the remoteness of the islands, the virus was contained. That is, until one traveler, presumably traveling to see the World Cup, introduced it to Brazil in May 2015. Since then, the virus has affected over one million people in or around Brazil.
According the CDC, only 20% people who contracted the Zika virus will actually become ill. The symptoms in most cases will manifest as a low grade fever, body rash, joint pains and conjunctivitis (red eyes) lasting anywhere from several days to a week. The symptoms usually appear between two to twelve days after transmission and the virus itself will leave the bloodstream after one week. In severe cases, the disease is known to cause nerve damage but it rarely ever causes death.
The reason why such a mild disease is causing such an uproar recently is not due to its effect on the initial carrier but rather on their offspring. Scientists now believe that there is a direct correlation between the Zika virus and the number of children born with a horrible genetic defect called Microcephaly. Microcephaly is a rare condition which inhibits brain growth in a fetus inside its mother’s womb. It causes the babies to have a physically smaller head and many other physical and mental problems after birth such as delayed mental development, seizures and sometimes even death. Typically microcephaly is typically present in twelve babies per 10,000 live births, but since introduction of the Zika virus in Brazil more than 4,000 cases of microcephaly have been reported — a twentyfold increase from previous years. But thankfully further testing shows that the virus does seem to hinder any future pregnancies as it will leave the system of the carrier completely.
The virus is transferred through the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes, a common breed of mosquitoes found in South and Central America and parts of the continental US. As of now, there are no vaccines available for the prevention of the virus. Even though many companies has already begun the process of developing one, the research is hitting a brick wall due to concerns regarding testing the experimental drugs on pregnant woman. The CDC’s advice on the matter is for pregnant woman to refrain from traveling to areas affected by the virus and for the general public to take all preventative measures against mosquito bites.
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