Final answer:
The Zika virus, which can cause microencephaly and other birth defects, is spread to people by mosquitoes and can also be transmitted through sexual contact, blood transfusions, and from mother to fetus. It often results in mild symptoms but poses a significant risk to pregnant women and their fetuses. It's part of a group of mosquito-carried diseases that impact global health.
Step-by-step explanation:
Zika virus is the pathogen that is spread to people by mosquitoes, particularly by the Aedes species. It is an arbovirus responsible for causing infections that are usually mild but can have serious consequences, such as microencephaly and other birth defects, when pregnant women are infected. Aside from mosquito transmission, Zika virus can be spread through sexual contact, blood transfusions, and from mother to fetus during pregnancy.
Zika virus was first identified in Uganda in 1947 and has since become a concern in various parts of the world, including large outbreaks in regions such as Micronesia and South and Central America. While the majority of Zika virus infections result in mild symptoms like fever, rashes, and conjunctivitis, the 2015 reports revealed the potential for severe fetal brain damage including microcephaly, where the infant is born with an undersized head and brain.
Other mosquito-carried diseases include yellow fever, Rift Valley fever, St. Louis encephalitis, and malaria, which is spread by mosquitoes but caused by the Plasmodium parasite and poses a significant risk, especially to pregnant women in many regions of the world.