Rob Cooper
Blog 2
EH 2000
Zika is a virus common to warm and tropical climates that is
passed to humans mainly via the bite of the Aedes mosquito. Named
for the forest where it was first documented, the virus itself was discovered
seventy years ago in Uganda. Since then, outbreaks have occurred in Africa, the
Pacific Islands, and Southeast Asia. The virus can also be passed sexually from
one individual to another, or from a mother to her unborn baby. The symptoms of
the Zika virus are common to many other diseases and include fever, muscle
pain, red eyes, and headache. It is speculated that the inconspicuousness of
the virus is what leads to it being spread around more easily. While people
rarely die from infection, the symptoms can last for weeks. Like with most
diseases, the young, the old, and the immunocompromised are at greatest risk of
infection. After individuals regain their health after an infection, they receive
an immunity from being infected by Zika again. At the moment, there is no
treatment or cure for the Zika Virus. The best prevention methods involve
protecting oneself from mosquitos in areas known for having cases of Zika, and
avoiding sexual contact with individuals who have potentially contracted the
virus. The risk for most individuals who contract the Zika virus is relatively
low as it manifests similarly to the common flu. The largest issue is with
pregnant mothers. Babies born to women who have contracted Zika often display
brain and skull deformities such as microcephaly and other ailments. This has
led the CDC and other governmental and travel agencies to make travel warnings,
especially concerning expecting mothers advising them not to travel to areas at
high risk for Aedes mosquitos, or
having sexual contact with people from those regions.
They also suggest pregnant women do not visit areas with an elevation lower than 2,000 meters above sea level as this also puts them at higher risk.
A man named Jason Farned who worked for the San Gabriel
Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District stated for the LA Times that the
mosquito is “The deadliest creature in the world”. According to some
statistics, mosquitos cause the death of more humans per year via the viruses
and bacteria they carry, than any other animal. Zika happens to be just one of
many viruses the mosquito threatens humans with. There is even worry of the
virus coming as close to home as California, where the CDC is preparing for
possible cases to occur this summer. The winter time is a natural barrier for
us against mosquito-borne disease as much of the mosquito population drops
during the cold months. So far no one in California has contracted the disease
from a mosquito, but preemptive preparation may be the difference between an
outbreak and avoiding one. The Aedes mosquito
has proven to be a formidable species when it comes to controlling them.
Apparently, no affected community has been able to wipe out the mosquito, and
the only effective method for dealing with them has been to systematically
remove all standing water the mosquito could use to reproduce. With a vaccine
years down the road, communities must use any solution at their disposal to
limit the spread of the Zika virus and prevent an outbreak from occurring in
the future.
