I hadn’t heard of the virus before so I asked about it at my place of work, the Clinton County Health Department. As a Public Health Educator, I like to investigate new problems that may affect public health. Soon after, the name Zika was all over the media and the situation became a worldwide concern.
Unfortunately, the quick spread of the virus had some people
spreading misinformation about the virus. It is hard to wait for scientific proof
of an emerging health threat. Some of the things we do know are:
·
Zika is not spread person to person but by a
specific species of mosquito.
·
There are no documented cases of Zika being
spread by mosquitos in the US; however, there are 426 current travel related
cases.
·
The greatest known risk of Zika is to the fetus
of a pregnant woman who contracts the virus.
·
Zika can be spread sexually.
·
Pregnant women and women of childbearing age
with sex partners that have been in areas of Zika transmission should use
condoms correctly during all vaginal, anal, or oral sex or abstain.
·
Zika can be passed to a fetus during pregnancy and
around the time of birth.
·
Zika is a cause of microcephaly; small heads in
infants and other fetal brain defects.
·
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), is investigating the link between Zika and Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS).
GBS is a disorder in which a person’s immune system damages nerve cells and can
cause muscle weakness and paralysis.
·
There is no vaccine for Zika.
·
Zika is spread by the aedes aegypti mosquito but the aedes
albopictus, found in NYS, has the potential to spread the disease as well.
The best way to prevent the disease is to protect yourself
and family from the bite of mosquitos. To accomplish this:
·
Wear light colored long sleeve shirts and pants.
·
Make sure windows and doors have screens in good
repair.
·
Use EPA registered repellant for exposed skin
and permethrin for clothing.
·
Eliminate breeding sites. Empty all water from
outdoor containers, and clean up gutters.
·
In some cases of standing water, chemical dunks
may be useful.
Trusted sources of information:
