If you've never heard of the Zika Virus before, don't feel bad...most haven't. But today, when NBC news reported that American health officials were currently considering issuing a travel warning to U.S. citizens making their way to parts of South America and the Caribbean, you probably took notice (along with asking "What's the Zika virus?").

Here are five facts about the Zika Virus to help you better understand the recent news surrounding it:

You Can Blame Mosquitoes For It

The virus is spread by the Aedes genus of mosquitos, the kind which spread more serious illnesses like dengue virus, yellow fever and Chikungunya. These mosquitoes are usually restricted to more tropical or subtropical regions, but different species of the mosquito, including the Asian Tiger mosquito, can travel further north. People cannot spread the virus from one to another, but if a mosquito bites an infected person, it then infects other people it bites afterwards.

Experts Used To Think It Was Harmless

Because the disease consists of mild symptoms (including fever, rash and headaches which occur anywhere between three-twelve days after being bitten), experts used to believe it was harmless. This was also because one in four people did not always develop symptoms.

It's Believed To Cause Birth Defects

The reason the virus has become a bigger deal is because it is believed to be linked to a rise in birth defects, with possible evidence of a connection between the infection in pregnant women and miscarriage or birth defects in an infant's head. Children born to women who'd been infected during their first trimester could be at a greater risk of being born with a defect called microcephaly, where a baby is born with an abnormally small head and brain.

It's Spreading FAST

Before, Zika was usually only seen in Africa, the South Pacific and certain parts of Asia. It's only recently arrived in South America, specifically Brazil, where's its circulating in the country's poorer areas. As recently as November, there have been over 1,200 cases of microcephaly (the birth defect associated with the virus), including seven deaths reported in over a dozen states.

There's No Current Way To Treat Or Prevent It

The scariest part of this virus is that there's actually no current cure or vaccine. Since it's a viral infection and not a bacteria, across-the-board antibiotic treatment can't help. Also, because Zika was believed to be harmless for so long, there was never a market or need to research and develop an antiviral treatment specially for it. Same goes for the vaccine. Thankfully, the recent attention has put the gas on creating a vaccine, with some estimates saying we may get one as soon as summer 2017. 

Tags: Zika Virus