The medical community recently confirmed the first case of Zika virus infection in the United States.
Last May, officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an alert when a case of Zika was confirmed in Brazil. Since then, cases have been reported throughout Central and South America. Furthermore, the World Health Organization (WHO) has deemed the virus an international health emergency.
The Zika virus infection can cause an array of symptoms, including fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis (pink eye). It is spread via mosquito bites and may cause birth defects.
It is estimated that, by the end of 2016, millions of people will be infected with the Zika virus. As a preemptive strike, researchers at Johnson & Johnson are assessing the company's current technologies and products to determine if any of them could be used to help in the fight against Zika.
"When it comes to a global public health threat like Zika, we also know that education is an equally powerful tool," a Johnson & Johnson official said.
To help the public understand Zika, Marcelo Targino, Johnson & Johnson's medical director for the Americas, has made educational videos that are available at www.blogjnj.com.
