Zika virus epidemic in Puerto Rico: Health justice too long delayed.

Int J Infect Dis

Center for Sociomedical Research and Evaluation, School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Published: December 2017

Over the course of 16 months, more than 35400 cases of Zika virus infection have been confirmed in Puerto Rico. This represents 85% of all cases reported in the USA and its territories. The Zika epidemic is exposing the profound failure of socioeconomic policies, as well as the failure to protect sexual and reproductive health rights in Puerto Rico. Considering the high poverty rates, high levels of sexuality-related stigma, poor quality sex education, limited access to contraception, and limited participation in the allocation of resources for prevention, it is unreasonable to focus public health efforts to prevent Zika virus infection on vector control. The allocation and equitable management of resources for research and intervention are required in order to understand and address the barriers to and facilitators of prevention at the individual, social, and structural levels. Further, the impact of efforts to tackle the social determinants of the Zika virus epidemic on the island should be assessed.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5725246PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2017.07.017DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

zika virus
16
puerto rico
12
virus epidemic
8
virus infection
8
zika
5
epidemic puerto
4
rico health
4
health justice
4
justice long
4
long delayed
4

Similar Publications

Imaging of viral replication in live cells by using split fluorescent protein-tagged reporter flaviviruses.

Virology

December 2024

The Centre for Infection and Immunity Studies, School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518107, China. Electronic address:

The knowledge on the life cycle of flaviviruses is still incomplete, and no direct-acting antivirals against their infections are clinically available. Herein, by screening via a Zika virus (ZIKV) replicon assay, we found that the N-terminus of NS2A exhibited great tolerance to the insertions of different split fluorescent proteins (split-FPs). Furthermore, both ZIKV and dengue virus encoding a split-FP-tagged NS2A propagated efficiently, and the split-FP-tagged ZIKVs had good genetic stability.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Role of extracellular vesicles in the pathogenesis of mosquito-borne flaviviruses that impact public health.

J Biomed Sci

January 2025

Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), 04510, Mexico City, Mexico.

Mosquito-borne flaviviruses represent a public health challenge due to the high-rate endemic infections, severe clinical outcomes, and the potential risk of emerging global outbreaks. Flavivirus disease pathogenesis converges on cellular factors from vectors and hosts, and their interactions are still unclear. Exosomes and microparticles are extracellular vesicles released from cells that mediate the intercellular communication necessary for maintaining homeostasis; however, they have been shown to be involved in disease establishment and progression.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Prenatally transmitted viruses can cause severe damage to the developing brain. There is unexplained variability in prenatal brain injury and postnatal neurodevelopmental outcomes, suggesting disease modifiers. Of note, prenatal Zika infection can cause a spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders, including congenital Zika syndrome.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Flaviviruses utilize the cellular endoplasmic reticulum (ER) for all aspects of their lifecycle. Genome replication and other viral activities take place in structures called replication organelles (ROs), which are invaginations induced in the ER membrane. Among the required elements for RO formation is the biogenesis of viral nonstructural proteins NS4A and NS4B.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Zika virus infections and associated risk factors among pregnant women in Gombe, Nigeria.

Virol Sin

December 2024

Department of Medical Laboratory Science, University of Maiduguri, College of Medical Sciences, P.M.B. 1069, Maiduguri, Nigeria. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • In-utero exposure to Zika virus (ZIKV) can result in severe outcomes like miscarriage and congenital Zika syndrome, prompting a study on the infection rates among pregnant women from February to April 2022.
  • Researchers tested 200 pregnant women for ZIKV antibodies and found that 16.5% had ZIKV IgM, 10% had IgG, and 23% had neutralizing antibodies, indicating various stages of infection and immunity.
  • The study also revealed that recent ZIKV infections were more common in sexually active women aged 20-29, with higher infection risks in first trimester and grand-multiparous women, although no significant link was found between ZIKV and specific pregnancy trimest
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!