key: cord-0008609-ah9abb46
authors: Tufts, Kimberly Adams
title: Global health is our health
date: 2016-04-01
journal: Nurs Outlook
DOI: 10.1016/j.outlook.2016.03.005
sha: 291b4ba29f3b5cb7056a369077c1e9acac316620
doc_id: 8609
cord_uid: ah9abb46

nan

To the Editor:

In recent months, the mosquito-born Zika virus and potential complications associated with transmission of the virus has been at the forefront of much public discussion and angst. The potential congenital malformations associated with contracting Zika during pregnancy as well as the risk for serious autoimmune and neurologic sequela in affected persons have been highlighted in most news outlets (Marcus, 2016; Searcey, 2016) . In February of this year, the World Health Organization (WHO, 2016) asserted that the potential association between Zika and microcephaly constitutes an international public health emergency.

As a whole, Americans are now aware of the negative health outcomes associated with Zika transmission and have concerns about the implications of Zika coming to our shores and crossing our borders. Zika is now front and center. At my own institution, we have canceled study abroad trips to Guatemala and Brazil. While attending a university event focused on civil rights issues, several colleagues approached me to ask about my knowledge of and perspective on the virus. Yet, neither Zika nor knowledge about its devastating effects is new. The virus was first identified in Uganda in 1947. In 2007, an outbreak occurred on Yap Island, where 49 people were infected. The people of French Polynesia were subject to an outbreak in 2013 (Cauchemez et al., 2016) . To date, transmission of the virus has been reported in more than 25 Caribbean and Latin American countries with Brazil and Chile being the most recent.

During my recent travels to the United Kingdom and Austria for purposes of studying health systems and strengthening international nursing collaboration, I was once again struck by how alike we are; how our national perspectives on and decisions about health care and attention to public health or lack of attention impacts us all. We are indeed a global community. Artificial borders may serve the purpose of restricting entry or exit from our various countries, nonetheless, they cannot protect health or prevent the transmission of disease and illness. People cross borders, disease causing microorganisms accompany them. The rise in the incidence and prevalence of dengue fever is evidence of such movement. Hence, as a nation, we must engage with the global community to act proactively; rather than reacting as was the case with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Ebola. We must act decisively to galvanize our resources; adhering to guidelines and processes endorsed by the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as actively striving to work across borders to institute global surveillance of infectious diseases (Zika Virus, 2016). We must respond to infectious outbreaks whenever and wherever they occur with concerted coordinated efforts that recognize that global health is indeed our health. I assert that nursing's commitment to and knowledge about health promotion and disease prevention well positions us to lead such efforts. Let's sound a clarion call to action! r e f e r e n c e s

Association between Zika virus and microcephaly in French Polynesia, 2013e15: A retrospective study

Mosquitoes could spread Zika in dozens of U

Zika study finds low risk for birth effects in babies

Zika situation report

Kimberly Adams Tufts is a member of the American Academy of Nursing Expert Panel on Emerging Available online at www.sciencedirect.com N u r s O u t l o o k 6 4 ( 2 0 1 6 ) 5 3 1 e 5 3 2 www.nursingoutlook.org