Zika virus today is spread by more species of mosquitoes and now targets North America. Get to know how scientists derived the data.
Ecologists' new predictive for the Zika virus according to Science Daily has discovered that more mosquito species could transmit the virus. The University of Georgia along with the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies joined forces to get the findings.
Accordingly, there are 26 additional potential mosquito species than what was previously known. Seven among these mosquito species can be found in the United States.
Using a machine learning, the researchers were able to develop the new model that determined a list of potential candidates of mosquito species carrying Zika virus. The model has data that is consisted of information about the traits of the flaviviruses including yellow fever and dengue, Zika and other mosquito species.
Basically, Zika virus is transmitted by Aedes mosquitos. The mosquito can be found in all tropical and subtropical zones and all continents except Antarctica which is very cold. However, because of the used-tire trade, there's a great chance that Aedes mosquito can spread widely in the North America, particularly in the U.S.
Based on the facts on NCBI, the Aedes specifically the Aedes Aegypti is a mosquito carrying the dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever and now is the Zika virus was originated in Africa. But, due to the Atlantic slave trade from the West Africa, the mosquito reached out the New World.
As reported by The Washington Post, currently, the state of Florida got the highest recorded case of Zika virus at the count of 708 from a travel-associated case and 139 from a locally acquired case. While in the U.S. there's already a total of 32, 814 confirmed Zika virus cases based on the record of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
There is a total of 4,091 cases are among the continental U.S territories, 28, 723 in Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa. Miami, Florida is the first recorded U.S. state where the Zika virus spread in North America.
