The threat of mosquito-borne disease is nothing new. Every year, mosquitoes breed in our area as the weather warms, and with it comes the possibility of contracting a disease they carry. Malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever and — the one that has affected our locale in the recent past — West Nile virus all come from those annoying little buggers.
This year, a “new” disease is a threat — the Zika virus. It’s not actually new; it was first discovered in the Zika Forest in Uganda in 1947, but scientists long considered it nothing serious. Fewer than 20 cases of human contraction of Zika were documented before 2007.
In May 2015, the Pan American Health Organization issued an alert regarding the first confirmed Zika virus infection in Brazil. By February, the World Health Organization declared the virus a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Today, it’s a full-blown epidemic in some tropical countries such as Brazil, and even U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico.
To date, 618 cases of Zika virus have been reported in the U.S., with 195 in pregnant women — more on that later — although most cases, to this point, have been international travelers contracting the disease elsewhere and returning home.
But why should we be more concerned about Zika over former mosquito-borne diseases? First, it’s hard to detect if you have it; symptoms of fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis are usually mild and last for a few days. Most people usually don’t get sick enough to even realize they have it. And in addition, there’s no readily-available test to see if someone has it.
Second, a direct link has been made between pregnant women having Zika giving birth to children with the serious birth defect called microcephaly, as well as other severe fetal brain defects.
And third, unlike the other mosquito diseases, Zika can be sexually transmitted.
With a wet spring already upon us, the mosquitoes are here earlier than they normally are, and the hot weather still to come could produce a bad recipe for our area. Just last week, a baby was born in New Jersey with microcephaly, contracted from a Zika-infected mother.
Women of child-bearing age, and their partners, need to pay extra special attention this summer. We are not suggesting you stay indoors, but following simple mosquito-prevention techniques is more important this summer than ever. Resources are available in many places, but the best may be at www.cdc.gov/zika/prevention.
Take steps now to prevent mosquito bites this summer. Even if you’re not planning to have a child, wouldn’t it be nice to still not be bitten?
