Zika Virus
Zika virus. Zika virus carrier Mosquito Zika virus is “spreading explosively” in the Americas, the WHO says. It causes birth defects in babies born to pregnant women, says the CDC. That agency has issued travel warnings for pregnant women in countries where the disease has been found. The virus is mainly spread by mosquitoes, although cases of sexual transmission have been reported. Zika virus , first identified in Uganda in 1947, is transmitted by the same type of mosquito that carries dengue fever, yellow fever, and chikungunya virus. A mosquito bites an infected person and then passes those viruses to other people it bites. Outbreaks did not occur outside of Africa until 2007, when it spread to the South Pacific. CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, told reporters that “on occasion,” Zika may be spread through sexual contact or blood transfusions. The CDC has confirmed reports of Zika being spread through sex in some cases, meaning a person traveled to an area where Zika h...