Introduction and Program Description
This project is based upon the knowledge of undergrad college students living in Eagle Hall at Florida Gulf Coast University. The purpose of our project is to make the college students aware of the Zika virus and give them ways to prevent contracting Zika. Mainly Zika is a vector (mosquitoes) spread virus and it is becoming a prevalent virus in Florida, so it is important to inform fellow students. Our goal is to educate these students on how to prevent the spread of Zika. By telling college students about using bug repellent, mosquito nets, and dumping standing water would help prevent Zika. In the end, we hope to create a workshop that can be applied to educate the students on campus about the Zika virus. …show more content…
From 1947 to 2006 there were only a few sporadic cases recorded, but then in 2007 on Yap Island in the Federate State of Micronesia, more than 118 cases were reported (Charrel, Leparc-Goffart, Pas, de Lamaballerie, Koopmans, & Reusken, 2016). Following this outbreak on Yap Island, between the years of 2013-2014 there was another outbreak in the French Polynesian Islands. There were over 30,000 suspected cases (Charrel, Leparc-Goffart, Pas, de Lamaballerie, Koopmans, & Reusken, 2016). Zika, compared to many other mosquito-derived viruses, had hardly been discussed within the academic and media circles until January 2016. In 2016 there was a sudden outbreak of Zika in South America. The outbreaks in South America were so abrupt and unexpected because many of the patients who have Zika Virus are asymptomatic during the outbreak. Eighty percent of the people who are infected with the virus do not show signs or symptoms right away. It can take up to twelve days for symptoms to become noticeable; this causes the virus to spread quickly among a population, resulting in an outbreak (Charrel, Leparc-Goffart, Pas, de Lamaballerie, Koopmans, & Reusken, …show more content…
Mosquito borne cases have been reported in all countries where the virus is present (Fernandez Turienzo, 2016). Zika is known to also spread a few other ways. A few cases recently have shown the disease to spread sexually, with the virus remaining in semen for three months after recovery (Fernandez Turienzo, 2016). Zika can also spread from a mother to her fetus. This is more common and what presents the most serious dangers from the virus.
Symptoms
Those infected with Zika will show an array of non-emergent symptoms. Hallmark symptoms of this virus are: A mild fever, headache, conjunctivitis, rash, and joint pain (Gourinat, et al., 2014). In pregnant women the symptoms can become sever when they spread, via the placenta, to the fetsu. An infected fetus can be born with many birth defects. These defects range from autoimmune disorders, fetal microcephaly, and death (Fernandez Turienzo, 2016).
This project is based upon the knowledge of undergrad college students living in Eagle Hall at Florida Gulf Coast University. The purpose of our project is to make the college students aware of the Zika virus and give them ways to prevent contracting Zika. Mainly Zika is a vector (mosquitoes) spread virus and it is becoming a prevalent virus in Florida, so it is important to inform fellow students. Our goal is to educate these students on how to prevent the spread of Zika. By telling college students about using bug repellent, mosquito nets, and dumping standing water would help prevent Zika. In the end, we hope to create a workshop that can be applied to educate the students on campus about the Zika virus. …show more content…
From 1947 to 2006 there were only a few sporadic cases recorded, but then in 2007 on Yap Island in the Federate State of Micronesia, more than 118 cases were reported (Charrel, Leparc-Goffart, Pas, de Lamaballerie, Koopmans, & Reusken, 2016). Following this outbreak on Yap Island, between the years of 2013-2014 there was another outbreak in the French Polynesian Islands. There were over 30,000 suspected cases (Charrel, Leparc-Goffart, Pas, de Lamaballerie, Koopmans, & Reusken, 2016). Zika, compared to many other mosquito-derived viruses, had hardly been discussed within the academic and media circles until January 2016. In 2016 there was a sudden outbreak of Zika in South America. The outbreaks in South America were so abrupt and unexpected because many of the patients who have Zika Virus are asymptomatic during the outbreak. Eighty percent of the people who are infected with the virus do not show signs or symptoms right away. It can take up to twelve days for symptoms to become noticeable; this causes the virus to spread quickly among a population, resulting in an outbreak (Charrel, Leparc-Goffart, Pas, de Lamaballerie, Koopmans, & Reusken, …show more content…
Mosquito borne cases have been reported in all countries where the virus is present (Fernandez Turienzo, 2016). Zika is known to also spread a few other ways. A few cases recently have shown the disease to spread sexually, with the virus remaining in semen for three months after recovery (Fernandez Turienzo, 2016). Zika can also spread from a mother to her fetus. This is more common and what presents the most serious dangers from the virus.
Symptoms
Those infected with Zika will show an array of non-emergent symptoms. Hallmark symptoms of this virus are: A mild fever, headache, conjunctivitis, rash, and joint pain (Gourinat, et al., 2014). In pregnant women the symptoms can become sever when they spread, via the placenta, to the fetsu. An infected fetus can be born with many birth defects. These defects range from autoimmune disorders, fetal microcephaly, and death (Fernandez Turienzo, 2016).