10) what is zika? zika is a life-threatening, mosquito-bornevirus. since may 2015 the zika virus has spread throughthe americas at an alarming rate. although zika infections are short and only20% of those infected develop mild symptoms, the virus poses a significant threat to pregnantwomen. current data suggests that 1/50 babies bornin the brazilian state of pernambuco [pern nam buck o] have been born with birth defects,due to the virus. the current outbreak is thought to have spreadso rapidly due to the abundance of the virus-carrying mosquito aedes aegypti [a-deez a-jip-tie]and the poor public sanitation of many of
the affected countries. source: bbc, vox 9) history of the virus the zika virus is named after the zika forestin uganda, where the first case was discovered in a monkey. the first human case was detected in 1954in nigeria and since then there have been small outbreaks in africa, south east asia,and the pacific islands. the virus can currently be found in 21 countriesthroughout the caribbean, and north and south america.
source: bbc 8) zika and pregnancy central american country el salvador has toldwomen in their country that they shouldn't get pregnant for the next two years, in orderto avoid the birth defects associated with the virus. el salvador is just one of a handful of countriesthroughout the americas that have called for women to delay pregnancy. however, women’s rights groups have criticizedthe move. they have pointed out that because of rape and a lack of contraception, 56% ofpregnancies in latin america and the caribbean
are unplanned. furthermore, the zika outbreak is occurringin countries with some of the strictest abortion laws in the world. source: bbc, the atlantic, trust.org 7) aedes aegypti [a-deez a-jip-tie] the zika virus is predominantly spread bythe aedes aegypti mosquito, which is found in tropical and subtropical regions throughoutthe world. this species is well adapted to living inurban areas and extremely successful at spreading disease. as the female mosquitoes feed exclusivelyon human blood, once infected, they pass on
the virus to the next people they bite. the mosquito is most known for infecting hundredsof millions of people with viral diseases, dengue, and yellow fever. 6) eradication of mosquitos the aedes aegypti mosquito is notoriouslydifficulty to eradicate, due to its diverse breeding sites and ability to resist pesticides. another potential solution is genetic engineering.british firm oxitec have modified male mosquitos so that they contain a self-destructive gene.this causes them to die before they reach adulthood, which can reduce the populationby 80%.
however, there is no evidence to prove thateven a significant population drop of the mosquito would end the outbreak. furthermore, the cost of manufacturing andreleasing the mosquitos would be unsustainable. 5) bigger than ebola the world health organization has claimedthat the zika outbreak could be a bigger threat than the ebola epidemic. this is because 80% of those infected withzika show no symptoms, which makes tracking the disease extremely difficult. there is currently no cure for the virus andfinding a vaccine could take up to 10 years.
this is because finding a vaccine would meanconducting medical trials on pregnant women, which biologist mike turner, has describedas a ‘practical and ethical nightmare’. source: guardian 4) zika and microcephaly [my-crow-se-fallee] the zika virus has been declared a globalpublic health emergency by the world health organization, due to the serious threat itposes. pregnant women infected with the virus runthe risk of passing it on to their unborn baby. the virus is thought to infect the fetus’brain, preventing it from fully developing. this deformity is known as microcephaly.
the disease causes severe brain damage andeven death, as the brain can be so underdeveloped that it cannot regulate bodily functions. sources: bbc, discovery 3) guillain-barrã© syndrome [gee-lan baray] the zika virus has the potential to causethe life-threatening condition guillain-barrã©. guillain-barrã© can affect anyone. the syndromecauses the immune system to attack the body, causing paralysis and even death. it begins with numbness in the hands and feet,before muscle weakness occurs. and if it spreads to the chest, the syndrome can affect breathing,leaving patients on life support.
so far, hundreds of cases of guillain-barrã©have been linked with the zika outbreak, the symptoms of which can last for years. source: independent 2) sexually transmitted virus in 2016 a woman in texas was infected withzika after having sexual contact with a man who’d caught the virus in venezuela. un foundation member alaka basu describesthe viral potential of zika as being ‘parallel with the hiv, aids case’, elaborating that‘it’s worse in some ways, because there are two modes of transmission’.
the centers for disease control and preventionadvises people to avoid the semen of any man that has been exposed to the virus, for sixmonths. 1) the future of the virus it is predicted that the virus will spreadover the western hemisphere this year, and is likely to spread to asia and africa, wherethe aedes aegypti mosquito thrives. scientists also suspect that aedes aegypti’scousin, the aedes albopictus [a dees al bo pictus], could also bring zika to europe. the fact that zika can be transmitted sexuallymeans that it has the potential to spread to any country.
with so little known about the virus and itspotential to deform fetuses, the outbreak poses a significant impact on a whole generation. source: bbc, discovery, vox
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