The latest freak out involving the most deadly creature on the planet has been the Zika virus. Many have developed worries that the virus is spreading, and have gone into panic mode. While it is something we should be aware of, it should not be something we are desperately fearful of catching. First off, we need to understand where this virus derives from, and how it can affect us.
Mosquitoes are the MOST deadly organism on the planet. On average they cause about two millions death annually. The spread many diseases such as, malaria, yellow fever, West Nile virus, etc. Now they are being linked as vectors to the Zika virus. Different mosquitoes spread different types of diseases. There are over 3,500 species of mosquitoes, but only 175 of them are in the United States. Mosquitoes larvae develop in warm, wet regions, therefore, areas like Central America have higher populations of mosquitoes because they can live year round.
So lets talk about the origins of the Zika virus. The virus itself was named after the Zika Forest in Uganda in 1947. This virus is nothing new, but since it has sprung into American territory, people are beginning to shed light on the virus and of course, overreact. The Zika virus has not been widely reported due to its symptoms that are like many other illnesses. May of last year was when the Zika virus was first detected on the Western hemisphere of the globe.
What we do know about this virus is that it usually cannot hurt you. Symptoms include: fever, rash, joint pain, and red eyes. These symptoms last about several days, and most people would not know that they had been infected. Typically you would not go to the hospital for the Zika virus.
However ...
The Zika virus can be detrimental to those who are pregnant. The baby can suffer from severe birth defects and fetal brain defects. Recently in the US, there have been six pregnancies that have been linked to the Zika virus, but they are still under monitoring.
Being an entomology student, I have learned that there are a lot of risk with this insect. There are many other diseases that can be spread by the mosquito that we should all be concerned about as well. If you really want to ensure that you are protected from these disease spreading pest, the first thing you should do is use bug spray. The Zika virus is going to be located near the equator (as well as many other diseases) so if you plan on traveling to Puerto Rico, Brazil, Mexico, or any of these summer destinations, be cautious.
With any disease present, you must always approach these things with caution and with an educated mind. It is not necessary to panic about the "what if's". The Zika virus is around us, but there are so many other diseases that we have known about for much longer that could be much more costly.
