The other reason for optimism in the United States is that the Aedes mosquitoes also spread the dengue and chikungunya viruses, neither of which has ever gained a foothold as a widespread threat domestically, Jahre said. Among those not pregnant, symptoms are less serious – fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
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The Zika Virus is known to cause birth defects and neurological disorders in infants who were born to women who were pregnant at the time they were exposed to the virus. The local health department or city government may be able to add larvicide to the water, which will kill any mosquito eggs.
Lamar County has the dubious distinction of being the first in MS with a reported case of West Nile virus for 2016.
Zika virus, which has always been recognized as a mosquito-borne infection, may also be transmitted via kissing and oral sex, a new study confirms.
For men returning from a Zika epidemic area without any suspicious symptoms, they should avoid sexual intercourse or use condoms for two months, and those suspected of being infected with the virus should avoid sex or use condoms for at least six months, the CDC said.
According to CNN, even with the much warmer weather of the past few weeks, no one has yet to contract Zika via a mosquito bite – called a local transmission – in the continental United States.
Although Manatee County has no cases of the Zika virus now, “it’s only a matter of time before we get an imported case” from people coming from the Caribbean or South America, Mosquito Control Director Mark Latham warned Tuesday. Many never seek medical attention because the symptoms are so mild. West Nile virus can be alarming, but people should be understanding.
The potential for Zika to spread through mosquito is possible in the Southeast and Midwest because the type of mosquito in those areas, the Aedes species of mosquito, can carry the virus.
Also, keep those mosquitoes outside by making sure your window screens and door screens are intact.
Adult mosquitoes rarely fly outside of a 500-foot radius from their hatching location, so if regular scrubbing is performed on containers holding standing water, an infestation can easily be prevented.
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Use an insect repellent containing DEET on exposed skin and clothing when you go outdoors, particularly if you are outside between dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are more likely to bite. A map and list of countries where the virus is a concern can be found at the CDC’s website: www.cdc.gov/zika/geo/active-countries.html.
