Zika Virus

Name
Professor’s Name
Course
Date
The Zika Virus
Identification of the Problem
The Zika virus was discovered in Zika forest, Uganda in 1947. The first human cases were diagnosed in 1952, outbreaks have later been reported in areas such as the Pacific island, tropical Africa and even in the US, the most affected states in America include, California, Texas, Florida, Chicago, Mexico, Arizona among others (Yong np). The primary carriers of the virus are known as Aedes Aegypti and Aedes albopticus. The virus can be passed from an expectant woman to her unborn child; this may result in infections during pregnancy, which can cause other severe congenital disabilities (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). The virus can also be transmitted through sex and blood transfusion. Most people who are infected with the Virus usually have mild or no symptoms, some of the common ones include, fever, headache, joint pain, rash, muscle pain, and red eyes. Symptoms usually last for days to a week. According to the CDC report on Zika virus 2018, four hundred and twenty-four cases of the disease have been registered in the United States as well as six hundred and forty-four more in US territories.
The possible causes of occurrence include first, ecology and geography, whereby for the last two decades, human actions have been identified as prominent variables in vector-driven ailments of viral origin. Viruses, vectors, geographical scatterings, increased ecological and demographic dysgenesis; increased trade and travel are some of the causative factors.

Secondly, global warming has also influenced the spread of the Zika virus. For instance, the spread of the virus in geographical zones with temperate climates is highly associated with global warming. The condition is also prevalent in industrialized countries due to emissions that have damaged the ozone layer hence causing global warming; it also facilitates the spread from adept mosquito vectors to inept vectors. Thirdly, social change and urbanization are other contributory factors. In this light, the spread of the virus can be as a result of human behaviors such as slave trade that occurred in the I5th-19th centuries, globalization of trade, increased concentration of human populations and Urbanization (Yong np). More so, some of the common consequences of the virus include severe congenital disabilities such as microcephaly. It is also associated with other problems such as miscarriages, stillbirths, and increased cases of the Guillain-Barre syndrome
Contributions
To address the issue, experts are operating to develop the Zika virus vaccine that will probably be obtainable in the near future. Other preventive measures that are in place include the control of vector density, which is done by monitoring households and commonly used areas to destroy vector breeding sites such as drainage pipes and water reservoirs. More so, cleaning garbage collection sites regularly, fumigating cargos at entry points such as ports and borders to prevent transportation of larva can minimize the spread (Rather et al. np). Appropriate insecticides are also used to control the vector density as per WHO recommendations. Insecticides used should be registered with the Environmental Protection Agency and must contain at least one of the following ingredients, picaridin, which repels mosquitos with a 20% concentration. Deet with a 30% concentration gives four hours of maximum protection. Another ingredient is Oil of lemon Eucalyptus that repels the mosquitoes with a 40% formulation. The insect repellants should not be used on babies who are younger than two months. To prevent transmission of the Zika virus through sex, partners should use condoms. This is because the Zika virus survives in bodily fluids such as semen, blood, urine, and vaginal discharges. Abstaining from sex can also eliminate the possibility of contracting the virus.
More so, people can protect themselves by wearing loose fitting and light colored clothes, hats, sunglasses and closed shoes. Educating the members of the public about the symptoms, causes, and possible preventive measures is also an efficient way of dealing with the problem. Another technique that can be used to handle the issue is introducing bacteria into the mosquito population. This method utilizes bacterium known as Wolbachia, which reduces the mosquito-human transmission, by a significant threshold. The introduction of the bacteria to the offspring of the female Zika mosquito’s egg facilitates the valuable epidemiological effect of safeguarding human beings from the bites. It also works by preventing females from hatching eggs after mating with males with the Wolbachia bacterium.
Future Outlook
The cross-reactivity of the serologic examinations and mild symptoms of the Zika virus makes it hard for scientists to determine the stage of the disease. The risk of the virus increases in areas where other flaviviruses are an epidemic, trends across the world have shown that transmission of the dengue and chikungunya diseases is followed by Zika infections (Rather et al. np). The simultaneous outbreaks of these infections give refuge to Zika virus, which is either misdiagnosed or undiagnosed due to lack of appropriate molecular diagnostic tests. Another critical aspect of the Zika transmission could be the change of virulence by the mosquito carrier Aedes Aegypti. Urbanization and the spread of the virus have been quite a proportional, and therefore the most significant challenge that confronts the scientific community is to save the newborn babies from the contracting the infection.
Apparently, scientists need to identify and address possible loopholes in virus research to develop an effective strategy to eliminate or manage the illness. Diagnostic examinations for the virus are gaining much interest, and there is hope that in future there will be promising strategies that will lead to improved diagnostics of Zika virus and better preventive and therapeutic tools. Current preventive measures may become obsolete in case the virus becomes resistant to various insecticides that have been proposed by the World Health Organization; it is, therefore, crucial that scientist conduct more in-depth research on the virus to avoid such cases. More so, there is little that can be done to reverse the severe effects that the virus has on babies in the form of microcephaly; this is because of the lack of proper vaccines for Zika virus treatment (Rather et al.). Hence, it is essential that efforts to develop standard therapeutic tools such as the Zika vaccine continue unrestricted to get a cure as soon as possible.

Works Cited
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Zika Virus”’ https://www.cdc.gov/zika/about/overview.html. Accessed 16 February 2018
Rather, Irfan A. et al. “Prevention and Control Strategies to Counter ZIKA Epidemic.” Frontiers in Microbiology 8 (2017): 305. PMC. Web. 16 Feb. 2018.
Rather, Irfan A. et al. “Zika Virus: An Emerging Worldwide Threat.” Frontiers in Microbiology 8 (2017): 1417. PMC. Web. 16 Feb. 2018.
Yong, Ed. “How Zika Conquered the Americas.” The Atlantic. 24th May 2017. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/05/how-zika-conquered-the-americas/527961/. Accessed 16 February 2018