HUMAN HEALTH CASE: ZIKA VIRUS IN

BRAZIL 2015

Principles of Environmental Health

WHAT IS ZEKA VIRUS?

Zika

virus disease is caused by a virus transmitted primarily

by Aedesmosquitoes.

symptoms

include mild fever, skin rash, conjunctivitis, muscle

and joint pain, malaise or headache. symptoms normally last for
2-7 days.

There

is scientific consensus that Zika virus is a cause of

microcephaly and Guillain-Barr syndrome.

HISTORY OF ZiKA VIRUS IN BRAZIL

A recent larger outbreak of Zika virus outside Africa and Asia was confirmed in April
2015, in Brazil

Local authorities link the outbreak to recent increased flow of foreign visitors
prompted by the 2014 FIFA World Cup, coupled with the large population of insect
vectors such as Aedes aegypt and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes that inhabit the region

Brazil remains the country most-affected by the mosquito-borne virus, which has been
proven to cause a severe birth defect that results in babies born with abnormally small
heads and underdeveloped brains

RISK ASSESSMENT

Outbreak of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in Brazil

Early detection of cases is essential to reduce the risk of autochthonous

transmission

Clinicians and travel medicine clinics should be aware of the evolution of

ZIKV-affected areas

Travelers returning from areas currently experiencing ZIKV outbreak

should prompt further investigation for ZIKV infection.

Effects of Zika Virus on Pregnancy

RISK ASSESSMENT CONTD

The laboratory capacity to confirm suspected ZIKV infections should be

strengthened in the European

As exposure to infected mosquitoes is the principal risk for infection,

prevention of ZIKV infection is based on protection against mosquito
bites and vector control, particularly for travelers visiting affected areas.

Zika virus is transmitted to a bitten human host after skin injection of a

mixture of insect saliva, virus, and blood components from the most
recent feeding during female mosquito blood meals.

RISK MANAGEMENT

Destroy mosquitoes breeding sites

Sensitize the population

Avoid mosquitoes bites and sexual transmisson

Travel ban

RISK COMMUNICATION

Case reporting,

Vector sampling,

Reservoir animal sampling and sentinel systems.

Human networking,

Reporting signature pattern recognition and forecasting

social media tracking and bioinformatics

LEGISLATION IN JAMAICA
By now, we all know that the Zika virus has been linked to birth defects.
In Jamaica, sections 72 and 73 of the Offences Against the Person Act
make it illegal for a pregnant woman to attempt to abort her foetus or for
any other person to attempt to do so. However, under the common law, it
may be lawful for an abortion to be performed (in some circumstances)
for the purpose of preserving a life.

LEGISLATION CONTD
The current state of the law, given the fact that
mycrocephaly is not said to be life-threatening to the
mother or the foetus, means that it is unlikely that the
common law exception would avail a Jamaican women
who is contemplating an abortion because she contracted
the Zika virus.

Reference Page
McGregor, S. (2016). Laws of Eve: Zika and JA Abortion Laws; Jamaica Gleaner

World Health Organisation. Retrieved on June 20, 2016 from http://www.who.int/emerge

ncies/zika-virus/timeline/en/
Zkavrus net.com. Retrieved on June 20, 2016 from http://zikavirusnet.com/history-of-zika/44frontpage/5welcome-to-zika-virus-net.html