Preventing the spread of the Zika virus has just become more challenging, as findings of a new research have revealed another obstacle that health experts and authorities would have to deal with in their bid to eliminate the mosquito-borne virus.
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“The results suggest that vertical transmission may provide a potential mechanism for the virus to survive during adverse conditions”.
“I hope they come forward voluntarily to take the screening tests at all the 12 hospitals in Johor where there are facilities to run the tests to ensure that they are not infected by the Zika virus”, he said during a press conference on Monday, August 29, Bernama reports.
Public Health England revealed that as of 24 August there have been 138 travel-associated cases of the virus since 2015 – including 77 cases with virus detected, 21 cases with antibody evidence indicating recent infection and 40 cases that have antibody evidence highly indicative of recent infection.
“Spraying affects adults, but it does not usually kill the immature forms – the eggs and larvae”, said Tesh, whose study appears in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has concluded that congenital Zika virus infection during pregnancy can cause microcephaly, a birth defect characterized by an abnormally small head, and other neurological disorders in newborns.
Homeowners in areas affected by the virus, have been advised to dump out containers of water on their properties.
The mosquitoes eggs can also lie dormant for months during the dry season but still manage to hatch once it rains.
The mosquitoes were fed and within a week, they laid eggs.
So in the laboratory, they injected mosquitoes with the Zika virus.
Adult female mosquitoes can pass the Zika virus along to their offspring, US researchers said on Monday, a finding that makes clear the need for pesticide programs that kill both adult mosquitoes and their eggs.
They found the virus present in one out of every 290 mosquitoes tested.
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Tesh said the next step is to show that mosquitoes are actually passing Zika to their offspring in the wild.
