Hosp Pharm 2016;51(4):275–276 2016 © Thomas Land Publishers, Inc. www.hospital-pharmacy.com doi: 10.1310/hpj5104-275
Editorial Zika Virus and the Media Danial E. Baker, PharmD, FASHP, FASCP*
E
very time I hear “Zika virus,” I immediately think about Henny Penny (aka Chicken Little) or a Robin Cook novel. Last year, I did not see much information regarding the Zika virus. But over the last 2 months (January and February 2016), I have received at least one email a week that includes information about the Zika virus; over the past several weeks, that has increased to at least one or more per day. The titles of these stories included “Fears Over Spread of Zika Virus Grow in the Caribbean,” “CDC Guidelines on Preventing Sexual Transmission of Zika Virus Issued,” “CDC Updates Interim Zika Virus Guidelines for Pregnant Women and Women of Reproductive Age,” “CDC Issues Updated Zika Guidelines for Health Care Providers,” “EU Drugs Agency Sets Up Zika Task Force to Speed Vaccine Work,” “Zika Virus a Global Health Emergency, W.H.O. Says,” “Zika Virus Isn’t the Only Concern for Rio Olympics” and “Public Health Agencies, Hospitals Prepare for Potential Zika Spread.”1-7 No, I don’t think “the sky is falling,” but I do think there is a dramatic change in how information is released and how quickly it is disseminated using email, the Internet, social media, and the more traditional news outlets compared to past decades. This virus is not new. It was discovered in 1947 in Uganda in rhesus monkeys and in 1952 in humans located in Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania.1,8,9 The mosquito that is mainly responsible for its spread is the Aedes aegypti.4,8,10,11 Most individuals who develop Zika virus disease have a mild fever, skin rash, and conjunctivitis that last for 2 to 7 days.8,10,11 There is no known specific treatment, nor is there a vaccine to prevent the spread of this disease.4,8,10,11 The virus appears to have spread from Africa to Southeast Asia, to the South Pacific, then on to Latin America and possibly the United States.1,9 Global air travel makes the spread of this type of virus easier than in previous centuries when public health
crises included smallpox, the plague, yellow fever, tuberculosis, cholera, malaria, and influenza, but travel was by foot, horseback, or sailing vessels.1,11-14 Previous mosquito-borne diseases are associated with mosquito species that are active in the evening and night, whereas the Aedes mosquito, associated with the transmission of Zika virus, is active during the day.1,4,8 The current situation also illustrates the fact that once the first-world nations are affected by a disease (eg, Zika virus, swine flu, avian/bird flu, Ebola), there is a different level of concern and media attention. Just look at the attention the Ebola virus received in 2014, and yet it does not get much media attention now, even though it still presents a health risk in much of the world. What seems to have prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to issue its global health emergency in February 2016 was data that appeared to link the Zika virus with birth defects (eg, microcephaly, abnormalities of the brain and eye) in Brazil, Colombia, and El Salvador.2,4,9 Some argue that the timing of the warning is related to the upcoming Olympics games scheduled for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in August 2016.2 But the Zika virus is not the only thing the athletes and visitors should be concerned about during their travels to Rio de Janeiro; they also need to be concerned about dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and malaria, which are all mosquitoborne illness; traveler’s diarrhea; hookworm; the quality of water; or diseases associated with mass gatherings of people (eg, influenza, norovirus, meningitis).3 No matter the reason for the announcement by the WHO, it has brought a lot of attention to this mosquito and this virus and has raised a lot of questions about individual risk factors and the risks associated with international travel to and from potential infectious endemic areas. There is a delicate balance between providing important health information and scaring the public.2 Will governments overreact and implement
*
Director, Drug Information Center, and Professor of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Washington State University Spokane
Hospital Pharmacy
275
Editorial
travel, trade, or tourism restrictions or warnings? Will officials suggest that women delay having children or, if pregnant, avoid areas known to have the Zika virus? Will billions of dollars be spent on this problem because of its media attention, while other issues continue to receive inadequate attention (eg, hunger, childhood illnesses, unhealthy living conditions, poverty)?15,16 In the meantime, you will continue to see press releases and news stories related to Zika virus and will be asked questions about this virus, until at least August 2016, as the world’s attention moves toward the 2016 Summer Olympics and Rio de Janeiro. The best recommendation to prevent the spread of this disease, especially in the endemic areas, is to use mosquito repellent (eg, DEET, picaridin, and IR 3435), wear long-sleeve shirts and long-legged pants when outside, treat clothes and gear with permethrin, sleep under a bed net, and stay in screened environments or indoors with air conditioning.3,4,5,10,11 Check for updated information at the Centers for Disease Control’s website (http://www.cdc.gov/zika/) and the WHO’s website (http://www.who.int/mediacentre/ factsheets/zika/en/). REFERENCES 1. Wieford L. Zika mosquito “goes where the people are,” says researcher. News.wsu.edu. Accessed February 4, 2016. 2. Tavernise S, McNeil DG. Zika virus a global health emergency, W.H.O. says. The New York Times. February 1, 2016. Accessed February 4, 2016. 3. Gounder C. Zika virus isn’t the only concern for Rio Olympics. Sports Illustrated. February 9, 2016. http://www. si.com/olympics/2016/02/09/zika-virus-rio-2016-olympicshealth-risks. Accessed February 10, 2016. 4. Interim guidelines for health care providers caring for pregnant women and women of reproductive age with possible Zika virus exposure — United States, 2016. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2016;65:1-6. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/ volumes/65/wr/mm6505e2er.htm?s_cid=mm6505e2er_w. htm. Accessed February 8, 2016. 5. Budryk Z. Public health agencies, hospitals prepare for potential Zika spread. FierceHealthcare.com. February 4, 2016. http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/public-health-agencieshospitals-prepare-potential-zika-spread/2016-02-04. Accessed February 10, 2016.
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6. McDonough BP. Fears over spread of Zika Virus grow in the Caribbean. ReachMD.com. February 1, 2016. https:// reachmd.com/programs/what-your-patients-are-talkingabout/fears-over-spread-zika-virus-grow-caribbean/7920/. Accessed February 10, 2016. 7. Oster Am, Brooks JT, Stryker JE, et al. Interim guidelines for prevention of sexual transmission of Zika virus — United States, 2016. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 216;65(5):1-2. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6505e1er.htm. Accessed February 10, 2016. 8. World Health Organziation. Fact sheet: Zika virus. Updated January 2016. Accessed February 4, 2016. 9. Quigley J, Wright L. Zika timeline: A look at how the mosquito-borne virus spread. CBC News. January 29, 2016. http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/zika-timeline-a-look-athow-the-mosquito-borne-virus-spread-1.3426172. Accessed February 4, 2016. 10. Zika virus disease Q&A. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated January 26, 2016. http://www.cdc.gov/ zika/disease-qa.html. Accessed February 8, 2016. 11. Recognizing, managing, and reporting zika virus infections in travelers returning from Central America, South America, the Caribbean, and Mexico. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. January 15, 2016. http://emergency. cdc.gov/han/han00385.asp. Accessed February 10, 2016. 12. Deadly diseases: Epidemics throughout history. Cable News Network. www.cnn.com. 2014. http://www.cnn. com/interactive/2014/10/health/epidemics-through-history/. Accessed February 4, 2016. 13. Timeline: World history of viral pandemics: 412 BC to 2009. Naturalnews.com. May 1, 2009. http://www.naturalnews.com/026178_flu_influenza_bird.html. Accessed February 4, 2016. 14. Shulman M. 12 diseases that altered history. U.S. News & World Report. January 3, 2008. http://health.usnews.com/ health-news/articles/2008/01/03/12-diseases-that-alteredhistory. Accessed February 10, 2016. 15. EU Drugs Agency sets up Zika task force to speed vaccine work. Reuters.com. February 8, 2016. http://in.reuters. com/article/health-zika-europe-idINKCN0VH0WV. Accessed February 8, 2016. 16. Landler M. Obama asks Congress for $1.8 billion to combat Zika virus. The New York Times. February 8, 2016. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/09/us/politics/obama-congress-funding-combat-zika-virus.html. Accessed February 10, 2016.
Editorial Zika Virus and the Media Danial E. Baker, PharmD, FASHP, FASCP*
E
very time I hear “Zika virus,” I immediately think about Henny Penny (aka Chicken Little) or a Robin Cook novel. Last year, I did not see much information regarding the Zika virus. But over the last 2 months (January and February 2016), I have received at least one email a week that includes information about the Zika virus; over the past several weeks, that has increased to at least one or more per day. The titles of these stories included “Fears Over Spread of Zika Virus Grow in the Caribbean,” “CDC Guidelines on Preventing Sexual Transmission of Zika Virus Issued,” “CDC Updates Interim Zika Virus Guidelines for Pregnant Women and Women of Reproductive Age,” “CDC Issues Updated Zika Guidelines for Health Care Providers,” “EU Drugs Agency Sets Up Zika Task Force to Speed Vaccine Work,” “Zika Virus a Global Health Emergency, W.H.O. Says,” “Zika Virus Isn’t the Only Concern for Rio Olympics” and “Public Health Agencies, Hospitals Prepare for Potential Zika Spread.”1-7 No, I don’t think “the sky is falling,” but I do think there is a dramatic change in how information is released and how quickly it is disseminated using email, the Internet, social media, and the more traditional news outlets compared to past decades. This virus is not new. It was discovered in 1947 in Uganda in rhesus monkeys and in 1952 in humans located in Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania.1,8,9 The mosquito that is mainly responsible for its spread is the Aedes aegypti.4,8,10,11 Most individuals who develop Zika virus disease have a mild fever, skin rash, and conjunctivitis that last for 2 to 7 days.8,10,11 There is no known specific treatment, nor is there a vaccine to prevent the spread of this disease.4,8,10,11 The virus appears to have spread from Africa to Southeast Asia, to the South Pacific, then on to Latin America and possibly the United States.1,9 Global air travel makes the spread of this type of virus easier than in previous centuries when public health
crises included smallpox, the plague, yellow fever, tuberculosis, cholera, malaria, and influenza, but travel was by foot, horseback, or sailing vessels.1,11-14 Previous mosquito-borne diseases are associated with mosquito species that are active in the evening and night, whereas the Aedes mosquito, associated with the transmission of Zika virus, is active during the day.1,4,8 The current situation also illustrates the fact that once the first-world nations are affected by a disease (eg, Zika virus, swine flu, avian/bird flu, Ebola), there is a different level of concern and media attention. Just look at the attention the Ebola virus received in 2014, and yet it does not get much media attention now, even though it still presents a health risk in much of the world. What seems to have prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to issue its global health emergency in February 2016 was data that appeared to link the Zika virus with birth defects (eg, microcephaly, abnormalities of the brain and eye) in Brazil, Colombia, and El Salvador.2,4,9 Some argue that the timing of the warning is related to the upcoming Olympics games scheduled for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in August 2016.2 But the Zika virus is not the only thing the athletes and visitors should be concerned about during their travels to Rio de Janeiro; they also need to be concerned about dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, and malaria, which are all mosquitoborne illness; traveler’s diarrhea; hookworm; the quality of water; or diseases associated with mass gatherings of people (eg, influenza, norovirus, meningitis).3 No matter the reason for the announcement by the WHO, it has brought a lot of attention to this mosquito and this virus and has raised a lot of questions about individual risk factors and the risks associated with international travel to and from potential infectious endemic areas. There is a delicate balance between providing important health information and scaring the public.2 Will governments overreact and implement
*
Director, Drug Information Center, and Professor of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Washington State University Spokane
Hospital Pharmacy
275
Editorial
travel, trade, or tourism restrictions or warnings? Will officials suggest that women delay having children or, if pregnant, avoid areas known to have the Zika virus? Will billions of dollars be spent on this problem because of its media attention, while other issues continue to receive inadequate attention (eg, hunger, childhood illnesses, unhealthy living conditions, poverty)?15,16 In the meantime, you will continue to see press releases and news stories related to Zika virus and will be asked questions about this virus, until at least August 2016, as the world’s attention moves toward the 2016 Summer Olympics and Rio de Janeiro. The best recommendation to prevent the spread of this disease, especially in the endemic areas, is to use mosquito repellent (eg, DEET, picaridin, and IR 3435), wear long-sleeve shirts and long-legged pants when outside, treat clothes and gear with permethrin, sleep under a bed net, and stay in screened environments or indoors with air conditioning.3,4,5,10,11 Check for updated information at the Centers for Disease Control’s website (http://www.cdc.gov/zika/) and the WHO’s website (http://www.who.int/mediacentre/ factsheets/zika/en/). REFERENCES 1. Wieford L. Zika mosquito “goes where the people are,” says researcher. News.wsu.edu. Accessed February 4, 2016. 2. Tavernise S, McNeil DG. Zika virus a global health emergency, W.H.O. says. The New York Times. February 1, 2016. Accessed February 4, 2016. 3. Gounder C. Zika virus isn’t the only concern for Rio Olympics. Sports Illustrated. February 9, 2016. http://www. si.com/olympics/2016/02/09/zika-virus-rio-2016-olympicshealth-risks. Accessed February 10, 2016. 4. Interim guidelines for health care providers caring for pregnant women and women of reproductive age with possible Zika virus exposure — United States, 2016. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2016;65:1-6. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/ volumes/65/wr/mm6505e2er.htm?s_cid=mm6505e2er_w. htm. Accessed February 8, 2016. 5. Budryk Z. Public health agencies, hospitals prepare for potential Zika spread. FierceHealthcare.com. February 4, 2016. http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/public-health-agencieshospitals-prepare-potential-zika-spread/2016-02-04. Accessed February 10, 2016.
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6. McDonough BP. Fears over spread of Zika Virus grow in the Caribbean. ReachMD.com. February 1, 2016. https:// reachmd.com/programs/what-your-patients-are-talkingabout/fears-over-spread-zika-virus-grow-caribbean/7920/. Accessed February 10, 2016. 7. Oster Am, Brooks JT, Stryker JE, et al. Interim guidelines for prevention of sexual transmission of Zika virus — United States, 2016. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 216;65(5):1-2. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6505e1er.htm. Accessed February 10, 2016. 8. World Health Organziation. Fact sheet: Zika virus. Updated January 2016. Accessed February 4, 2016. 9. Quigley J, Wright L. Zika timeline: A look at how the mosquito-borne virus spread. CBC News. January 29, 2016. http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/zika-timeline-a-look-athow-the-mosquito-borne-virus-spread-1.3426172. Accessed February 4, 2016. 10. Zika virus disease Q&A. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated January 26, 2016. http://www.cdc.gov/ zika/disease-qa.html. Accessed February 8, 2016. 11. Recognizing, managing, and reporting zika virus infections in travelers returning from Central America, South America, the Caribbean, and Mexico. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. January 15, 2016. http://emergency. cdc.gov/han/han00385.asp. Accessed February 10, 2016. 12. Deadly diseases: Epidemics throughout history. Cable News Network. www.cnn.com. 2014. http://www.cnn. com/interactive/2014/10/health/epidemics-through-history/. Accessed February 4, 2016. 13. Timeline: World history of viral pandemics: 412 BC to 2009. Naturalnews.com. May 1, 2009. http://www.naturalnews.com/026178_flu_influenza_bird.html. Accessed February 4, 2016. 14. Shulman M. 12 diseases that altered history. U.S. News & World Report. January 3, 2008. http://health.usnews.com/ health-news/articles/2008/01/03/12-diseases-that-alteredhistory. Accessed February 10, 2016. 15. EU Drugs Agency sets up Zika task force to speed vaccine work. Reuters.com. February 8, 2016. http://in.reuters. com/article/health-zika-europe-idINKCN0VH0WV. Accessed February 8, 2016. 16. Landler M. Obama asks Congress for $1.8 billion to combat Zika virus. The New York Times. February 8, 2016. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/09/us/politics/obama-congress-funding-combat-zika-virus.html. Accessed February 10, 2016.
