Zika Awareness Kit
date: label: date made
content: 2016
notes: label: Description
content: This Zika Kit was created and distributed by the Maryland Department of Health in 2016.
label: Description
content: Zika is transmitted through a bite from the Aedes mosquito or through sexual intercourse with an infected individual. The disease typically presents with only mild symptoms but pregnant women can transmit the disease to their fetus, causing microcephaly, severe brain malformations, and other birth defects. In the absence of effective treatment, public health officials have focused on prevention.
label: Description
content: In 2015-2016, Zika, which had long been contained in equatorial Africa, spread to the Americas. On January 2,, 2016, the first case of Zika in the United States was reported in Puerto Rico. In early February, following confirmation of the Zika virus in a patient who had not traveled outside the mainland United States, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued interim guidelines regarding best practices for the prevention of Zika.
label: Description
content: Although Zika case numbers remained low in the United States during 2016, health officials and political leaders were extremely concerned about a potential outbreak. In Maryland which had 9 cases by the spring of 2016, Governor Larry Hogan identified the week of April 26th as “Zika Awareness Week.” Public health messages focused on education, providing detailed information about the disease, its symptoms, and means of transmission. Marylanders were also encouraged to eradicate standing water which served as a breeding ground for mosquitos, to use insect repellent and condoms, and to report suspected cases.
label: Description
content: To assist in limiting the spread of Zika, Marylanders received this kit free of charge. Information in the kit is provided in English and Spanish.
label: Description
content: Items in the kit could easily be bought at pharmacies and other stores such as insect repellent spray, mosquito dunks (which, when placed in standing water, released a bacterium which killed mosquito larvae), and condoms. The kit provided Marylanders with these items free of charge, along with fact sheets from the CDC. These sheets provided detailed information about pregnancy and Zika along with the information detailing the best means of eradicating breeding grounds for mosquitos.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Tennessee, Baltimore
topic: label: general subject association; used on; web subject
content: Public Health
label: general subject association
content: Birth Control/Contraception
label: general subject association; web subject
content: Health
label: general subject association; web subject
content: Medical
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Medicine
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Clifford Mitchell, MD, MPH, Director, Environmental Health Bureau, The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2017.0068.01
label: catalog number
content: 2017.0068.01
label: accession number
content: 2017.0068
objectType: label: Object Name
content: public health kit, zika prevention
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: paper (information sheet 4 information sheets)
label: Physical Description
content: paper; rubber; foil (condoms package of 2 condoms)
label: Physical Description
content: metal; plastic (spray can off mosquito repellent)
label: Physical Description
content: paper, plastic (mosquito dunks mosquito dunks)
label: Physical Description
content: plastic (plastic bag plastic bag)
label: Measurements
content: information sheet: 11 in x 8 in; 27.94 cm x 20.32 cm
label: Measurements
content: condom package: 6 in x 4 in x 1/4 in; 15.24 cm x 10.16 cm x .635 cm
label: Measurements
content: can of insect repellent: 10 in x 2 in x 2 in; 25.4 cm x 5.08 cm x 5.08 cm
label: Measurements
content: plastic bag: 18 in x 12 in x 1/4 in; 45.72 cm x 30.48 cm x .635 cm
label: Measurements
content: mosquito dunks: 8 in x 6 in x 1 1/4 in; 20.32 cm x 15.24 cm x 3.175 cm