How to control the spread of Zika Virus and why is it problematic?

1. How do I know?

1.1. The Department of Health (Australia)

1.2. BBC News of UK

1.3. CDC Centres of Disease Control and Prevention (the USA)

1.4. The NSW government of Health

1.5. From some random newspapers at home

1.6. Asking questions to my parents

1.7. Textbooks

2. What did I find out?

2.1. If someone is infected with Zika virus, it can typically take 3 to 12 days for symptoms to appear.

2.1.1. The symptoms include: - Fever; - a skin rash; - pain in the joints; - muscle pain; - a headache, especially with pain behind the eyes; - conjunctivitis (red eyes); and - weakness or lack of energy.

2.1.2. The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting up to a week, and many people do not have symptoms or will have only mild symptoms. However, Zika virus infection during pregnancy can cause a serious birth defect called microcephaly and other severe brain defects.

2.2. Most areas of Australia do not have the Aedes aegypti mosquito that can carry the virus. This mosquito is currently found in parts of Northern, Central and Southwest Queensland.

2.3. A pregnant woman can pass Zika to her fetus during pregnancy or around the time of birth. Also, a person with Zika can pass it to his or her sex partners. We encourage people who have traveled to or live in places with Zika to protect themselves by preventing mosquito bites and sexual transmission of Zika.

2.3.1. It can be passed to her unborn babies

2.3.2. Travelers who go to places with Zika can be infected with Zika

2.3.3. Zika can cause microcephaly and other severe birth defects. For this reason, pregnant women should not travel to any area with Zika, and women trying to get pregnant should talk to their doctors before traveling or before their sex partners travel. It is especially important that women who wish to delay or avoid pregnancy consistently use the most effective method of birth control that they are able to use.

2.4. Many people infected with Zika will have no symptoms or mild symptoms that last several days to a week. However, Zika infection during pregnancy can cause a serious birth defect called microcephaly and other severe fetal brain defects.

2.4.1. an uncommon sickness of the nervous system, is strongly associated with Zika; however, only a small proportion of people with recent Zika virus infection get GBS.

2.5. There is no specific treatment for Zika .

2.5.1. Treatment with aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines is not recommended because of a potential increased risk of haemorrhagic syndrome (bleeding) reported with some related viruses, such as dengue, and the risk of a rare but serious illness called Reye’s syndrome after viral infection in children and teenagers.

3. Possible solutions

3.1. We can prevent Zika from avoiding mosquito bite (because there is no vaccine for it).

3.1.1. We should be careful during daytimes since the the mosquitoes that carrying zika virus are active and mostly biting in daytimes (doesn't mean that they do not bite during night times).

3.1.2. Use insect repellent.

3.1.2.1. - Always follow the product label instructions. - Reapply insect repellent as directed.     - Do not spray repellent on the skin under clothing.                                                                - If you are also using sunscreen, apply sunscreen first and insect repellent second.

3.1.2.2. - Do not use insect repellent on babies younger than 2 months old.                                  - Do not apply insect repellent onto a child’s hands, eyes, mouth, and cut or irritated skin.

3.1.3. Wear long sleeves shirts.

3.1.3.1. Treat items, such as boots, pants, socks, and tents, with permethrin or buy permethrin-treated clothing and gear. Permethrin-treated clothing will protect you after multiple washings. See product information to find out how long the protection will last. If treating items yourself, follow the product instructions. Do not use permethrin products directly on skin.

3.1.4. Remove potential mosquito breeding sites from around the home and screen windows and doors

3.1.5. Take extra precautions when travelling in areas with a higher risk of mosquito-borne diseases.

3.2. During seauxl activities, individuals should use condoms and other barrier prevention to protect against zika virus since it could be passed to the person carrying zika virus to his or her sex partner.

3.2.1. Sexual partners of pregnant women returning from areas where local transmission of Zika virus occurs should abstain from sexual activity (vaginal, anal, or oral) or consistently use condoms throughout the pregnancy.

3.2.2. Men being medically assessed and tested for Zika virus infection should abstain from sexual activity or use condoms consistently while their illness is being investigated.

3.2.3. Pregnant women with Zika should get more frequent ultrasounds, which is the only reliable way to detect microcephaly before a baby is born. The birth defect often cannot be identified until the second trimester, which means that for now, many couples will have to make decisions about their pregnancy with incomplete information.

3.3. Control the spread and amount of mosquitos

3.3.1. Use screens on windows and doors. Repair holes in screens to keep mosquitoes outside. Use air conditioning when available. Sleep under a mosquito bed net if air conditioned or screened rooms are not available or if sleeping outdoors. Once a week, empty and scrub, turn over, cover, or throw out items that hold water, such as tires, buckets, planters, toys, pools, birdbaths, flowerpots, or trash containers. Check inside and outside your home. Mosquitoes lay eggs near water.

3.3.2. Seek medical advice, as soon as practicable, if unwell during or soon after travelling at the places where zika virus had been spread widely,

3.4. Try to invent the vaccinations against Zika disease that can pass through immune system.

4. What do I know?

4.1. The spread of it is  commonly caused by mosquito bites primarily.

4.2. Zika can be passed by a pregnant woman to her foetus.

4.3. There is no medicine or vaccine treatment for this kind of virus.

4.4. It was discovered in 1940s

4.4.1. But outbreaking in 2000s.

4.5. It made baby born with big heads.

4.6. It can be also passed through sexual activities, blood transfusion laboratory exposure.

4.7. The mosiquitoes are day-time mosquitoes, however, they can also bite people at night.

4.8. It would cause Zika Virus disease.

4.9. It is a kind of pathogen that can cause disease.

5. What do I want to know?

5.1. What types of mosquitos are they?

5.1.1. A type of mosquito called Aedes aegypti. It is possible that other mosquitoes in the Aedes family may also be able to spread the virus.

5.2. How is it spread and infected?

5.2.1. Zika transmission might occur following transfusion of blood or a blood product collected from someone who was infected with the virus.

5.2.2. Sexual transmissions.

5.2.3. By mosquitos (aforementioned).

5.3. Who is at risk?

5.3.1. 1. Pregnant women. 2. People with a sex partner who carries zika virus. 3. People who has travelled to the places where mosquitos spread Zika. 4. The unborn baby if his or her mum carries zika virus (they might would be born with big heads).

5.4. How severe could it be if there is an infection?

5.5. How would it affect people's health? In what specific ways individuals get infected? What health problems can it lead to?

5.6. Are there any scientists trying to invent any solution to this virus? If there are, how are they going to solve it?

5.7. Is there any possibilities for individuals to kill the mosquitos carrying this virus (in a large amount, made them die out or extinct)?

5.7.1. No. It will have a huge impact on ecosystem. It might affect the food web.

5.8. What health problems can result from getting Zika?

5.9. What can people do to prevent Zika? Is there any possible preventions or protections?

5.10. What are the symptoms of Zika virus disease? and how is Zika diagnosed?

5.10.1. Your doctor can take a blood sample and have it tested for the virus (if early on in the illness) and for antibodies against Zika virus. A second blood test taken two weeks later may be required to confirm a recent infection.

5.11. What should pregnant women who have recently traveled to an area with Zika do? And if they caught this virus, what do they need to do immediately?

5.12. Things we still do not know about ZIka virus

5.12.1. Why there are some pregnant women infected with Zika give birth to babies with microcephaly while others do not.

5.12.2. At which point during pregnancy the risk of infection is greatest and how likely it is for babies born with the disease to survive longer than a year.

5.12.3. While Zika definitely causes microcephaly, how the virus halts brain development remains unclear.

5.12.4. What other brain problems the virus may cause.