The Zika Virus: Spread In Latin America

Zika virus, a disease mainly spread through mosquitoes, is rapidly spreading throughout Latin America and many other countries, and is now threatening to spread widely throughout Northern America. With the threat of the Zika virus in America swiftly increasing, scientists, doctors, and political leaders are desperately searching for a solution to prevent a Zika epidemic. One possible solution that the U.S. FDA is now seriously considering is GMO mosquitoes, engineered by the Biotech Firm, Oxitec. The U.S. FDA is considering to allow the releasing of these GMO mosquitoes in Key Haven, Florida, but is waiting on the citizens to vote on it before giving its permission. Although the citizens of Florida are afraid of the Zika virus spreading in their state, there are so many fears of releasing the GMO mosquitoes that people are hesitant to accept this as a solution. Additional research is needed to understand the full situation of Zika and the GMO mosquitoes.
From the information presently available to us, we do know what the GMO mosquito and the Zika virus is, although we may not know all the affects of both on the human …show more content…
First discovered in 1947 in Uganda, the Zika virus is mainly transmitted through the Ades Aegypti species of mosquitoes, but can also be transmitted through sex and from a pregnant mother to her fetus. Although scientists and doctors are not sure of all the effects of Zika, they are sure that it causes brain damage and birth defects. The Zika virus had gone almost unnoticed for many years until recently when it began to spread throughout Latin America, and is now starting to spread to North America. According to Alexandra Sifferlin, “So far