The Zika virus, which can cause serious birth defects, may be making its way to the United States. The virus is transmitted through mosquito bites. There is no vaccine for it, so the best prevention against contracting the virus is protecting from mosquito bites. That means wearing insect repellant and clothing that covers much of the skin. Mitigating mosquito breeding grounds, such as standing water, and spraying areas that typically attract mosquitoes, such as wetlands, also helps. Using air conditioning or screens over open windows and doors is recommended.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most people who contract the Zika virus do not even know they have it, show no symptoms and recover without incident. About 20 percent of people with it exhibit a mild fever, rash, joint pain or red eyes, which last about a week. Hospitalization and death are extremely rare.
However, pregnant women who contract Zika are at risk of delivering a child with a birth defect in which the baby’s brain has not developed properly and the child’s head is smaller than normal. It has also been linked to Guillain-Barre, a nerve condition that can cause paralysis. Therefore, the CDC is advising all pregnant women to avoid areas where there have been reports of Zika outbreaks, including Brazil, where health officials report a surge of Zika cases and an estimated 4.000 of babies born with birth defects.
Traditionally confined to Africa and Southeast Asia, the CDC first noted Zika’s spread to the western hemisphere this past May. Now it has spread to 14 countries or territories in the Americas, including Puerto Rico. Further spread to other countries in the region is likely, according to the CDC.
Zika virus infections have been reported in travelers returning to the United States from countries and territories where outbreaks are occurring. These imported cases will likely result in the spread of the virus in some areas of the United States. The virus is not transmitted person-to-person. However, mosquitoes can bite an infected person and become infected then bite a different person and infect that person.