Zika: The Pandemic Threat

Course overview

Zika, a mosquito-borne viral infection, is the most recent of four arboviruses (arthropod-borne viral diseases) that have spread to the Western Hemisphere in the last 20 years. It follows the dengue virus, which became re-established in the 1990s after the failure of mosquito eradication programs; the West Nile virus that emerged in 1999; and chikungunya in 2013. Zika virus is a neurotropic virus. It has been identified as the cause of congenital Zika syndrome (CZS), which includes microcephaly and other congenital abnormalities (decreased brain tissue, eye abnormalities, joint contractures, and hypertonia) in the fetus. In adults, the virus can trigger Guillain-Barré syndrome and other neurological diseases. This continuing education program will inform and heighten awareness of nurses, advanced practice nurses, physicians, lab professionals, pharmacists, and other healthcare providers about the emergence of Zika virus both in the U.S. and internationally.