According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a case of the Zika virus was confirmed in Arkansas on Jan. 26 in a resident who recently traveled out of the country.
Many Harding students are currently signed up to participate in spring break mission trips that will take place in a few of the countries in Latin America where the spread of the Zika virus is ongoing.
According to Emily Hudkins, the associate director at the Mitchell Center for Leadership and Ministry, Harding is aware of the situation and will keep a close watch on the evolving information on the virus.
Nearly one in five people who are infected with the Zika virus show symptoms, and hospitalization for the virus is stated to be uncommon. The most common symptoms of the virus are fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes. The virus is transmitted to people through bites from infected mosquitos. This virus can also spread between a mother and her baby during pregnancy or at birth.
The CDC has also reported a possible correlation between a serious birth defect called microcephaly (a condition where a baby’s head is abnormally small) in babies of mothers who had been infected with the Zika virus when pregnant. The knowledge of this correlation is still under investigation.
The Pan American Health Organization confirmed the first case of the Zika virus in Brazil in May 2015. The CDC has responded by issuing a travel alert to the different countries in Latin America, where the Zika virus continues to spread.
There is currently no medicine to treat the Zika virus and no vaccine to prevent this infection.
Dr. Gregory Brooks, the associate dean of the Carr College of Nursing, in accordance with the CDC, cautioned any Harding faculty or student who may be pregnant andtraveling to a Zika-affected area for spring break to consider postponing the trip. Additionally, travelers to infected countries should take steps to protect themselves while in high-risk areas. Suggested prevention includes wearing mosquito repellents with long-sleeved shirts and long pants and using mosquito nets, according to Brooks and the CDC.
Dr. Benjamin Bruner, the chair of the Department of Biology, said the Zika virus has been a hot topic of discussion with his microbiology students.
Bruner said that he wants his students to know when an outbreak occurs with infectious diseases, it is important to be intentional about finding good and reliable information on the specific disease. He said the CDC is monitoring Zika on a minute-by-minute basis, providing real time information for people to be educated on the discussion.
“The Zika virus will be just one of the many things in our lifetime that develop like this, and I want my students to know how to respond to infectious diseases in an educated and informed way,” Bruner said.
Bruner also stressed the importance of being responsible with preventative practices when it comes to infectious diseases for more than personal health reasons and the fear of getting sick.
“In relation to infectious diseases, so much of the class discussion about Zika is not just about us and avoiding mild symptoms that might make a slight inconvenience in our lives,” Bruner said. “It’s also about being responsible in our preventative practices in order to keep these diseases from spreading to those persons with a greater risk for complications.”
