Zika Virus Essay

Improved Essays
Within the last few months, there has been a huge discussion regarding the emergence of the Zika virus and how to treat the virus.. As Zika continues to be a major issue in the U.S. and many other countries, many healthcare providers are looking for vaccines and treatments that permanently eliminate the disease. However, there has not been much success for providers and the illness is continuing to creep its way into U.S. borders. Scientists and researchers have now offered to use Genetically Modified (GM) mosquitoes to completely terminate the remaining population, but not much has been done to implement this solution. Many people fear that use of the GM mosquitoes will backfire in the long run, However, this solution has already been put to practice in Brazil, and the technique has proved to be successful. Genetically Modified (GM) mosquitoes are the most effective and least harmful solution to combat the spread of the Zika virus because the GM mosquitoes will help to kill …show more content…
(in text) The illness can also spread through sexual contact, from mother to child, and through blood transfusion, although these forms of contact are not as likely. Symptoms that are associated with the Zika virus are very common to the dengue and chikungunya viruses , so individuals who are infected by the disease are not aware, and the virus can be hard to detect.. The following symptoms are indicators of the disease: fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis. (intext) Once an individual is infected with the illness, it is very plausible for he or she to become immune to future infections. Infected persons will begin to feel these symptoms a few days after being bitten by the species. Once bitten, the Zika virus can last for at least 2 to 7 days, leaving a quarter of those infected with autoimmune complications.

Related Documents

  • Decent Essays

    The Zika virus is carried by the mosquito from Aedes family. Zika virus was first discovered in Uganda in 1947 in rhesus monkey.…

    • 315 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Zika Virus Dbq

    • 724 Words
    • 3 Pages

    What people should realize is that the international transmission of Zika from South America by mosquitoes and infected people has led to the maiming of newborn babies throughout the world, but you can help prevent this while protecting yourself from its harm. The primary sources of transmission of the virus is through the Aedes africanus mosquitoes and humans. A local transmission cycle is formed between humans and mosquitoes. When a human is infected by mosquitoes, other mosquitoes carry the virus when they bite the infected human. As stated in Document E, Zika is…

    • 724 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Summary: the article discusses the negative and positive impacts mosquitos have on the environment, as well as what would happen if mosquitos ceased to exist. Mosquitos are infamous for carrying a number of diseases such as yellow fever, dengue fever, and West Nile virus. However, the article points out that mosquitos are an important food source to migratory birds in the Artic, an important food source for fish, insects, salamanders, lizards, and frogs in water pools, they consume nutrients in pitcher plants (which makes nitrogen readily available to the plant), and pollinate plants. Thus, the author points out that scientists are unsure about what would truly happen if they just…

    • 1293 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Zika Virus Research Paper

    • 497 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Zika Virus Zika Virus is a fairly new Virus, the first big outbreak was reported in 2015 in Brazil. Zika Virus is fairly new in the United States, but scientists now know that it comes from a mosquito. The virus attacks the reproductive system in women. It’s the most harmful to women who are pregnant. When pregnant women get Zika, it will cause the baby to be born with microcephaly.…

    • 497 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    If all of you do not already know, the Zika virus is a viral disease spread from mosquito bites. You might be thinking, “What importance does this issue hold?” Well, the Zika virus is on the rise, and with it, the once rare circumstance of Microcephaly. For example, 1.5 million cases of Zika have taken root in Brazil alone. The virus is spreading, and over 13 countries solely in the Americas have reported outbreaks.…

    • 683 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    The World Health Organization estimates that Zika could potentially become the next plague. The disease is spread by mosquitoes, sexual transmission or physical contact (Kounalakis). “Once a person has been infected, he or she is likely protected from future infections” (“Zika Virus”). Although, unlike the plague, many victims who get sick, rarely die. Though the disease remains in the blood of the victims whole life.…

    • 2191 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Zika Epidemic

    • 578 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Recently discovered Zika has swept the world off its feet. This dangerous disease is spread mostly through the bite of an infected species of mosquito. Primarily targeting pregnant women, it can be passed down from mom to fetus and in turn cause certain malicious birth defects. Before last year, the virus was a miniscule, controlled, barely noted annoyance. Scientists are now beginning to consider environmental chances that encouraged Zika's explosion into a global crisis.…

    • 578 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Zika Virus In Brazil

    • 258 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Brazil has finally declared an end to the public health emergency over the Zika virus after a long 18 month outbreak that affected many citizens of Brazil (Press Associated). Zika, a disease that comes from mosquitoes, was never really considered a major threat to the world until an outbreak that started in 2015 showed that the virus can cause birth defects. One of these birth defects is microcephaly, which causes a baby to be born with a much smaller skull than expected. People became more concerned and aware after the disease was found out to be sexually transmitted (Press Associated). This caused more concern to the Brazilian people and the world.…

    • 258 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Zika Outbreak

    • 1377 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The Pan American Health Organization have put out a few recommendations to combat the Zika outbreak. The organization suggests reducing and eliminating any mosquito breeding site on your property. Related to this, people should close off their homes to mosquitos. Such methods include using window screens rather than an open window with no screen. Also, the PAHO recommends sleeping under a mosquito net to prevent bites while you are asleep.…

    • 1377 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    According to the article “When Mosquitoes Were Killers in America” by Lauren Tarshis, its shows many ways how mosquitoes are more than a nuisance to humans, but also to animals. Mosquitoes bite humans infected, and then bite another person who isn't infected with a disease and than both of them have a disease, or when animals have a disease and the mosquito bites them and then comes and bites the human than the human has that same disease and could die. “A mosquito bites someone infected with malaria. A few days later, when the mosquito is read for its next meal, it bites someone else. And the mosquito jabs the new victim's flesh, malaria germs known as Plasmodium enter that person’s blood.…

    • 387 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Hispanic Health Issues

    • 562 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Finally, a major issue involving Hispanic countries and their health care revolved around tropical, mosquito borne diseases. These diseases can be spread in multiple ways, thus increasing their transmission rate and prevalence in a country. However, in Hispanic countries where the mosquito borne diseases are prevalent, there may not be enough resources to prevent or treat the outbreaks, resulting in an increased number of infected individuals. This leads to an even bigger epidemic and can impact the health and lives of more people than necessary had proper treatment been…

    • 562 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    West Nile Virus Essay

    • 958 Words
    • 4 Pages

    However, humans are not the only species that can fall victim to this disease. West Nile Virus has a broad host range and can infect humans, birds, mosquitoes, horses and some other mammals (Pommerville, 2014). The transmission cycle begins when mosquitoes feed on infected birds. It will then circulate through the mosquitoes’ blood supply and into the salivary glands afterwards the mosquito is capable of infecting others. In addition to mosquitoes, West Nile Virus has also been shown to be spread through blood and organ transfusions or exposure to blood in a laboratory or other…

    • 958 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Decent Essays

    The West Nile Virus (WNV)

    • 276 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Texas was the worst hit, but by using pesticides which in turn made some locals worried. Only the doctors could provide supportive measure to the infected people, for the disease is caused by a virus, and couldn’t be treated by antibiotics. The effective and safety measures of all available control measures is good for killing mosquitoes and it eases people about not getting infected.…

    • 276 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The episode “Deadly Messengers” in the video series, RX For Survival, shows the deadly diseases transmitted to people by mosquitos and black flies. The mosquitos served as transmitters to deadly diseases like the West Nile Virus, Yellow Fever and Malaria. Another insect born disease was River blindness, which was transmitted through tiny black flies. The video also shares how public health professionals helped the targeted populations reduce the risk of coming into contact with mosquitos as well as the development of treatment for the deadly diseases.…

    • 675 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Meanwhile, a person who has been infected with the Zika virus is protected from it and probably won’t get it…

    • 935 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays