The world of microbes has given us yet another challenge with the problem of Zika fever. Between birth defect links and the alarming rate it has spread, the world is now becoming concerned as to how this will affect them and if they should be worried about contracting it.

Scientists suspect that the virus originated in Uganda’s Zika Forest. It was first discovered in the mid-1900’s in a chimp residing within the forest. Zika virus has circulated through parts of Africa and Asia for decades. Zika was first found in the Americas in May of 2015. The patient was in Brazil. With people in the western hemisphere having little immunity to this new virus, it’s been ravaging through South and Central America, the Caribbean islands and in small parts of North America ever since its detection. There have been millions of people infected, and now the World Health Organization has declared a public health emergency.

Zika is a virus within the family of dengue fever, yellow fever, and West Nile virus. It’s extremely hard to detect . Over 80% of people infected do not show any symptoms. The less than 20% that do show symptoms could experience fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes, typically lasting less than a week.

Zika appears to be mainly carried and spread through a particular breed of mosquitoes, known as Aedes aegypti. In some cases, patients have been exposed by sexual transmission. It’s questionable as to whether or not the disease is contracted sexually more than we suspect. In the Northern hemisphere, the outbreak has occurred during the winter, during which mosquitoes cannot thrive. Therefore few people could have contracted the virus through mosquitoes.

Zika is a great danger to pregnant women and unborn babies. It’s been linked to neurological disorders and severe birth defects. Many babies from infected patients have been born with microcephaly, a condition in which an infant has an underdeveloped brain and an unusually small cranium. Its also been linked with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a disorder where the immune system attacks the nerves, which can lead to paralysis.

Without any medication, vaccinations, treatments and potential years of development to attain those things, health experts are turning to mosquito control to decelerate the spread of the virus. They advise people in Latin America, and especially pregnant women, to wear clothes that cover your skin, wear mosquito repellant, and postpone any traveling to places where outbreaks are taking place. Doctors are also keeping a close eye on pregnant patients, searching early for signs of microcephaly.

There have been few isolated cases of Zika within the United States, most notably in Texas where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that it was sexually transmitted. WHO claims that it is highly unlikely that an uncontainable outbreak will occur within the continental United States. There have been several cases in Hawaii and in Puerto Rico, where in which the mosquitoes could potentially reach coastal regions. The mosquito species that carries Zika can thrive in all environments, so an outbreak of Zika could occur anywhere if citizens do not remain careful.