Many Americans still have misconceptions about the Zika virus, according to a new report.
Since the Zika outbreak started in the Americas last year, the media has been closely following all updates regarding the virus, including how it can spread and the potential health effects from an infection. In a new study, researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the National Public Health Information Coalition set out to see just how much Americans know about the virus.
The researchers surveyed 1,275 adults, who were considered to be nationally representative, from March 2-8, 2016. Out of these adults, 105 were from households that included a pregnant woman or a woman who was planning on getting pregnant.
Overall, people appeared to be confused about Zika transmission in general. The researchers reported that even though 87 percent of adults were aware that Zika is transmitted through mosquitoes, a third of them believed that the virus could spread via coughing and sneezing. Twenty-two percent did not know that Zika can be transferred from a mother to an unborn child, 29 percent did not know that the virus can be transmitted during blood transfusions, and 40 percent were not aware that it can be transmitted sexually.
Americans also did not know much about how Zika manifests. Seventy-one percent of the adults said that Zika infected people are very or somewhat likely to have visible symptoms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that in most cases, symptoms will not manifest.
Out of all the symptoms, the majority of people, at 68 percent, said that fever was a common symptom. Only 18 percent said that conjunctivitis, or red eyes, was a symptom. Thirty-five percent also misidentified coughing and sneezing as symptoms.
"These misperceptions about Zika virus transmission could lead people to take unnecessary or inappropriate precautions, as we have seen in other kinds of outbreaks," said Gillian SteelFisher, director of the survey and research scientist at the Harvard Chan School's Department of Health Policy and Management.
In the sample of 105 adults, the researchers found that 23 percent of them did not know about the association between the virus and birth defect microcephaly, which is characterized by an underdeveloped head and brain. In Brazil, where the virus was initially spreading uncontrollably, the number of suspected and confirmed cases of microcephaly has reached 5,235.
Twenty percent of the adults thought that there was a vaccine for Zika, 42 percent did not know that Zika can be transmitted through sexual intercourse, and 25 percent believed that infected people will "very likely" exhibit symptoms of Zika.
The researchers stressed the importance of educating people about Zika before it comes to the continental U.S. So far, most of the cases that have been reported within the U.S. occurred in individuals who had traveled to a Zika affected region.
"We have a key window before the mosquito season gears up in communities within the United States mainland to correct misperceptions about Zika virus so that pregnant women and their partners may take appropriate measures to protect their families," SteelFisher said.
Although many people misunderstood the virus, the poll did find that Americans were prepared to take preventive measures, such as using insect repellent and removing standing water, during the summertime.
There are currently 39 countries and territories with active Zika transmissions.
