Background
Zika is not a new virus; however, it is new to the Americas. The Zika virus (ZIKV) was first discovered in the Zika Forest of Uganda all the way back in 1947. Though medical surveillance and reporting of certain diseases has not been consistent or reliable in Africa dating that far back, there have been no reports of Zika causing issues like the ones we are currently seeing in South America. The cause for scare over Zika is the drastic number of microcephaly cases that have been tied to mother's who were infected with ZIKV during pregnancy. Because Zika is not a fatal disease (in adults), it has received little attention in terms of research and scientists are still trying to figure out if there is only a certain window of the pregnancy that fetuses are at risk.
How can I be infected?
Mosquitoes. The most obvious and well-studied route is through the bite of an infected mosquito. This means that the mosquito population where you are living (or traveling to) would have to be infected themselves, which is what surveillance is used for. Many cases in the US (until a few weeks ago) were all imported - meaning an individual that traveled to an infected area started to show symptoms of Zika only after returning home. The mosquitoes that are responsible for the spread of Zika - Aedes aegypti and likely Aedes albopictus - are day time biters. Though these mosquitoes have been present throughout the US for a long time, the introduction and local circulation of ZIKV in those mosquitoes is brand new to the Americas.
Sexual Transmission. Recent research has shown that ZIKV can be transmitted sexually. There have been many examples of a couple or just the male partner going overseas to a ZIKV-infected area and coming home and sexually transmitting their ZIKV infection to their partner, even if no symptoms were seen. The virus has been shown to stay around in the semen for up to 6 months after the initial infection by mosquito.
Should I be worried?
Many of my friends have asked me this question, especially those living in Florida. The ever increasing number of Zika cases that are being found in the Miami-Dade area are likely a result of increased surveillance (the harder you look, the more likely you will find something). Due to human error and the expensive nature of both mosquito and human surveillance, we are rarely able to detect a virus circulating before it causes health problems. However, with the severity of Zika-caused complications in South America, the US was able to have a head start for detection. This is likely the reason cases have been limited to a relatively small area of Florida.
Due to the non-existent fatalities associated with Zika... no, you should not panic or worry. A caveat to this statement surrounds women that are pregnant or are trying to get pregnant. This is the only time I tell people that they should be worried or at the very least take more precautions than one normally would. If this is the situation you are in, you can find more information here. Making a plan with your health care provider is also advisable.
For more information on how you can do your part in controlling mosquitoes and hindering the spread of Zika, visit Control.
Zika is not a new virus; however, it is new to the Americas. The Zika virus (ZIKV) was first discovered in the Zika Forest of Uganda all the way back in 1947. Though medical surveillance and reporting of certain diseases has not been consistent or reliable in Africa dating that far back, there have been no reports of Zika causing issues like the ones we are currently seeing in South America. The cause for scare over Zika is the drastic number of microcephaly cases that have been tied to mother's who were infected with ZIKV during pregnancy. Because Zika is not a fatal disease (in adults), it has received little attention in terms of research and scientists are still trying to figure out if there is only a certain window of the pregnancy that fetuses are at risk.
How can I be infected?
Mosquitoes. The most obvious and well-studied route is through the bite of an infected mosquito. This means that the mosquito population where you are living (or traveling to) would have to be infected themselves, which is what surveillance is used for. Many cases in the US (until a few weeks ago) were all imported - meaning an individual that traveled to an infected area started to show symptoms of Zika only after returning home. The mosquitoes that are responsible for the spread of Zika - Aedes aegypti and likely Aedes albopictus - are day time biters. Though these mosquitoes have been present throughout the US for a long time, the introduction and local circulation of ZIKV in those mosquitoes is brand new to the Americas.
Sexual Transmission. Recent research has shown that ZIKV can be transmitted sexually. There have been many examples of a couple or just the male partner going overseas to a ZIKV-infected area and coming home and sexually transmitting their ZIKV infection to their partner, even if no symptoms were seen. The virus has been shown to stay around in the semen for up to 6 months after the initial infection by mosquito.
Should I be worried?
Many of my friends have asked me this question, especially those living in Florida. The ever increasing number of Zika cases that are being found in the Miami-Dade area are likely a result of increased surveillance (the harder you look, the more likely you will find something). Due to human error and the expensive nature of both mosquito and human surveillance, we are rarely able to detect a virus circulating before it causes health problems. However, with the severity of Zika-caused complications in South America, the US was able to have a head start for detection. This is likely the reason cases have been limited to a relatively small area of Florida.
Due to the non-existent fatalities associated with Zika... no, you should not panic or worry. A caveat to this statement surrounds women that are pregnant or are trying to get pregnant. This is the only time I tell people that they should be worried or at the very least take more precautions than one normally would. If this is the situation you are in, you can find more information here. Making a plan with your health care provider is also advisable.
For more information on how you can do your part in controlling mosquitoes and hindering the spread of Zika, visit Control.