Nursing Assignment: Zika Virus Disease and Birth Defects (Research Paper Sample)

Zika Virus Disease and Birth Defects
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Summary:
From the time when its initial detection in South America, two years back, the Zika virus has rapidly spread in the United States of America. The disease developing trends are alarming and impacting negatively in the society as a whole, especially without any treatment and vaccination being in place. Despite efforts from organizations like WHO, CDC in partnership with EPA, and Project HOPE in the Dominican Republic, the communities seem to have a low response on the understanding of Zika virus and the concerns related to the virus, that include birth defects. Therefore calling for more need to undertake studies that can effectively address the issue, so that the disease can be countered effectively before it goes out of hand
Introduction:
From the time when it was initially detected in South America, in particular, Brazil, two years back, the Zika virus has swiftly spread all over the United States of America (CDC, 2017). According to Kleber de Oliveira, Cortez-Escalante, De Oliveira and et al (2015), intensification in the number of infants’ with microcephaly in Brazil was initially distinguished in September 2015, subsequently the same year Zika virus was initially detected in Brazil. The Zika virus has also been linked to congenital Zika syndrome, a distinctive array of birth defects established in infants and babies infected with the virus during the prenatal period (CDC, 2017). Basing on these evidences and other adverse effects of Zika virus, the public health sector has swiftly responded to the epidemic of the virus, with dissemination of information concerning the significance of mosquito-bite prevention, endorsements to delay pregnancy in areas severely infested with Zika virus disease, and preventing pregnant females from traveling to areas and/or countries that have vigorous Zika virus spread.
Nevertheless, effective communications concerning the virus have not influenced the desired responses; a survey conducted last year revealed low responses of knowledge as well as issues related to Zika virus in the United States of America (AP & NORC, 2016). The recognition of Zika virus and birth deformities by the community, and other stakeholders would consent for more direct interactions, which could set in motion enhanced understanding and devotion to the prevention recommendations and campaigns made by the community health, public health sector, and other national or international initiatives. Given the current ongoing research and firsthand information in place, this paper, therefore, intends to address this case by reviewing peer journal articles to present these findings.
Methodology:
I conducted a thorough search on current peer-reviewed journal articles information on Zika virus between 2015 and August 2017, over the internet using mainly Google search engine and Web of Science. I also reviewed information from infectious disease reporting system broadcasts and public health information that included: United States Center for Disease Control, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, United States Food and Drug Administration, and the World Health Organization.
Description of Cause, Transmission and Clinical Manifestation:
The causative factor of Zika virus disease is a virus in the family Flaviviridae spread predominantly by a mosquito in the Aedes genus. This family of virus comprises of other mosquito-borne viruses of clinical significance, for example, yellow fever virus, West Nile virus, and the dengue virus. They habitually bite during the day, with their peak being early morning and late in the evening (Brasil et al., 2016). Other non-vector transmission means of the virus include: congenital, perinatal, and sexual (Melo, Malinger, Ximenes and et al., 2016). There are also probably transmissions through animal bites, blood transfusion, during labor, as well as, a result of exposure to samples in the laboratory (FDA, 2016). The individuals bitten by the Aedes mosquitoes turn out to be carriers of flavivirus and therefore, can transmit it through sexual intercourse (Cao-Lormeau et al. 2016). Zika virus has also been established to exist in the breast milk of mothers who have been infected by the virus, however, it’s not yet known if the virus can be transmitted to a baby through breast feeding (Cauchemez et al. 2016).
Clinical Manifestation:
The incubation period, from the time the Aedes mosquito bites an individual to the commencement of symptoms, is approximately 3 to 12 days, and the infection has the likelihood to be symptomatic in about 80 percent of cases. All age groups are vulnerable to Zika virus disease; this is, from 4 days to 76 years with the female being more vulnerable. When symptoms show up, they are characteristically mild, self-limiting, as well as non-specific (Gatherer & Kohl, 2016). Common symptoms comprise of conjunctivitis, fatigue, fever, myalgia, headache, arthralgia, as well as rash being the most conspicuous. A reasonable neuropathologic connection between the central nervous system abnormalities and Zika virus has been shown to result in microcephaly, “a birth abnormality in which a baby’s head is smaller than expected when compared to babies of the same sex and age.” These babies have smaller brains that might not have developed well during perinatal period or has stopped developing after delivery (CDC, 2017).
Congenital Zika syndrome is a distinctive array of birth abnormalities found among fetuses and children infected with Zika virus for the period of pregnancy. The characteristics of congenital Zika virus include: austere microcephaly where the cranium or skull has partly shrunken; diminished brain tissue with a definite array of brain impairment; scarred eyes or eyes comprised of variations in pigment; joints with restricted range of mobility, such as clubfoot; excessive muscle tone limiting body’s locomotion shortly after birth (ECDPC, 2016). According to Lyle, Denise, Powers, and Honein (2016), notwithstanding the substantiations already garnered through research that supports an association between Zika virus and microcephaly and other birth effects, a majority of researchers have kept away from concluding that Zika virus disease is the causally of the adverse perinatal period and birth abnormalities. According to WHO (2016), “Based on a systematic review of the literature up to 30 May 2016, WHO has concluded that Zika virus infection during pregnancy is a cause of congenital brain abnormalities, including microcephaly; and that Zika virus is a trigger of Guillain-Barré syndrome.”
Diagnosis of Zika Virus Disease:
Infection with Zika virus disease can be suspected based on symptoms and the patient’s latest travel history, for instance, residing in or roaming in areas with active Zika virus spread. In the case of a pregnant woman with no symptoms of Zika virus disease, subsequent tests can be made 2 to twelve weeks after returning back. Following affirmative, unsatisfying or negative test outcomes; the health care service provider might: carry out an ultrasound to identify microcephaly and/or other birth defects of the brain, request to obtain a specimen of amniotic fluid to screen for Zika virus (Calvet et al, 2016). Although Zika virus can be detected in blood serum and plasma, urine, semen, saliva, cerebrospinal fluid, as well as amniotic fluid; confirmatory tests are highly recommended, this includes; nucleic acid testing, serology on patients who have shown symptoms related to Zika virus disease for or greater than seven days WHO, 2016).
Treatment and Prevention of Zika Virus:
According to Plourde and Bloch (2016), currently, there is no particular treatment and vaccinations for Zika virus disease. Nevertheless, supportive management is encouraged and is done through relaxation, consumption of fluids, as well as prescription of analgesics and antipyretics. For the reason of dengue patients experiencing hemorrhage, other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory and Aspirin drugs shouldn’t be prescribed to the patient; not until dengue infection is ruled out (Alera et al, 2015).
Prevention as a counter to Aedes mosquito bites is the widely recommended approach to avoid Zika virus infection; which can be accomplished through, snoozing under mosquito nets, wearing brightly-colored clothes that cover the entire body as much as possible, installing physical barriers on windows for example screens or closing the windows at the peak hours of the mosquitoes, as well as applying suitable body mosquito repellants. Special attention should be focused travelers, pregnant women, children and the elderly (Summers, Acosta & Acosta, 2015). Likewise, measures that inhibit mosquitoes from breeding should be implemented throughout the community level; which takes account of draining of stagnant water or covering the containers or tanks, clearing of the bush, or spraying with eco-friendly insecticides ((Summers, Acosta & Acosta, 2015).
Pregnant women thriving in areas infested with Zika virus should be supported to test for Zika virus. While those living in areas not infested with the virus should be prohibited from traveling in areas infested with the virus (Peterson et al 2016). According to (Oduyebo eta al, 2016), frequent fetal anatomy and growth, should be monitored every three to four weeks using serial ultrasounds, in particular in pregnant women who have tested positive or their results are inconclusive. Male partners who thrive or have traveled in areas infested with Zika virus, should stop from having sexual intercourse with their pregnant females, and if need be, they should use condoms, this is in order to prevent sexual transmission of the virus to the fetus (Oster, 2016).
Case Counts of Zika Virus in...