Zika, a virus transmitted by mosquitos, has been around for almost 70 years. The name stems from the Zika Forest in Uganda, where the virus was isolated in 1947. The virus has been traced to places in the Caribbean as well as South and Central America. A total of 29 countries have reported cases of the Zika virus, and travel alerts have been issued to those who are planning to travel to these areas.

People who are bitten by mosquitos that carry the Zika virus might not even exhibit symptoms. Those who do, develop mild headaches, a red rash, conjunctivitis, and joint paints. The symptoms resolve themselves in a week or less. Adults and small children are not the ones who need to worry about becoming infected; pregnant women however, do.

The Zika virus has been linked to microcephaly in unborn children, a debilitating condition in which the baby’s skulls are much smaller than normal. Children with microcephaly have brains that have not developed completely, which can also lead to not being able to walk, talk, or speak. Most children stay the size they were when they were born, or grow only minimally in stature. Kids with microcephaly can exhibit hyperactivity, problems with balance, and can have seizures. Some cases have seen the patient survive until the age of 35, while others die within their first year of life.

The prognosis is not entirely dim for children with microcephaly. Depending on the severity of their case, some children are of average intelligence and have only a slightly decreased quality of life. However, those who are born in areas where poverty is common have an increased chance of dying due to insufficient medical care.

Pregnant women or those who are planning on becoming pregnant have been advised to avoid traveling to those affected areas. Those who live in the affected areas, including Brazil and Colombia, have been warned to not get pregnant until at least the year 2018.

The virus is not just transmittable by mosquito. It has been found that it can be transferred from person to person via sexual contact where bodily fluids are exchanged. The virus is also present in saliva, urine, and blood. Guillian-Barre Syndrome, which causes paralysis, has also been reported in areas where Zika mosquitos are common.

Several cases have been reported in the United States, but the patients have been contained.