La. watchful of Zika virus

A declaration of emergency by the World Health Organization, a determination by scientists that it can be sexually transmitted and information below other headlines are adding the mostly mosquito-spread Zika virus to the list of other anxieties with which people in the Bayou Region must cope. A declaration of emergency by Florida’s governor in relation to Zika cases there has added to the concerns.

State health officials acknowledge that some time this year Zika could be coming to a trash can or water bowl for stray kitties near you. But they also say that with this health threat – unlike many others – there are preventative steps that can be taken to minimize risk.

“It is possible we will have a few outbreaks, not this huge statewide outbreak that other countries have had,” said Dr. Raoul Ratard, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals epidemiologist.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control says Zika is a disease

caused by Zika virus, that is spread to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito. The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis, or red eyes. Concerns about Zika gained prominence when biolgoists in Brazil suggested a link between its transmission to pregnant women and cases of microcephaly – a condition causing unusually small heads – in infants.

Until more is known, CDC recommends special precautions for pregnant women and women trying to become pregnant, including postponing travel to areas where Zika is transmission is ongoing, which include Central and South America.

“Pregnant women who do travel to one of these areas should talk to their doctor or other healthcare provider first and strictly follow steps to avoid mosquito bites during the trip,” a CDC fact sheet states.

For most people, however, risk of adverse effects from Zika are described as minimal.

“The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week. People usually don’t get sick enough to go to the hospital, and they very rarely die of Zika,” a CDC fact sheet says, and Ratard agrees. “Zika is primarily transmitted through the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes, the same mosquitoes that spread Chikungunya and dengue. These mosquitoes are aggressive daytime biters and they can also bite at night. Mosquitoes become infected when they bite a person already infected with the virus. Infected mosquitoes can then spread the virus to other people through bites.”

Doctors in the Americas paid little attention to Zika, which poses less of a general health risk than dengue fever or even West Nile, and until recently it was thought contained except in Uganda, to which it is native, and certain South Pacific islands where it took hold. The aedis egypti mosquito, which is a primary spreader of Zika, is not common to Louisiana but can occur, Ratard said. The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is more common in these parts, but can be managed.

“The good news is that you are in the driver’s seat to prevent mosquito bites,” Ratard said. “Some diseases are not that easy to prevent, but you can protect from mosquitoes. You must maintain the position toward the mosquito ‘not on my skin, not in my house.'”

Unable to live in or on brackish or saltwater, the Aeges mosquitoes prefer small containers containing fresh water, such as that found after a rain. A purge of fresh water container sites around the outside of the home should be paramount, Ratard and other doctors maintain. Traditional mosquito protection including long-sleeve shirts, will also help.

Steve Pavlovich of Mosquito Control Inc., which provides mosquito protection for Terrebonne, echoes Ratard’s caveat that the albopictus or less commonly occurring egypti, will most often be found literally in your own back yard.

“These mosquitoes aren’t breeding out in the marsh or in the woods,” said Pavlovich. “They are likely going to be closer to humans, in containers around the yard.”

Concerns over Chickengunya and West Nile have resulted increased surveillance protocols for his company, Pavlovich said, which in the case of mosquitoes that can spread Zika means little collection cups of fresh water.

They are in the process of developing pamphlets regarding Zika prevention for distribution locally, and are prepared to begin knocking on doors and asking people to inspect their yards for hazards.

Spraying of drainage ditches and grasses, one of the more common mosquito control practices locally, help with some mosquitoes but not the Aedes species.

“People really do need to take an active role in protecting themselves,” Pavlovich said..

‘Until we know more, if your male sexual partner has traveled to or lives in an area with active Zika virus transmission, you should abstain from sex or use condoms the right way every time you have … sex…’

Centers for Disease Control

The Asian tiger mosquito, present in Louisiana, is a vector for the Zika virus, medical authorities say.

COURTESY | CDC

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