It's winter and you might be dreaming of lounging on a warm beach with a cocktail in hand....being lulled to sleep by the sound of waves crashing on the sand in the distance. Sounds amazing right?
But before you think about a beach vacation, please don't forget about the Zika virus. I know it's ruined so many of my friend's vacation plans -- honeymoons, babymoons, wedding destinations, etc..... but better safe than sorry!
Let's start with some basics first.
How does the Zika virus spread?
The Zika virus can been transmitted:
-Through mosquito bites
-From mother to child during pregnancy or at the time of birth
-Through having sex with a person infected with the Zika virus
-Through blood transfusions (this has only happened in Brazil thus far)
Why should we worry about the Zika virus?
-Zika infection during pregnancy can cause serious birth defects
-Zika may be associated with a neurologic condition called Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), which if undiagnosed can lead to paralysis and/or death
The Zika virus can infect anyone, but as long as you have a good working immune system - your body should be able to protect you against this virus.
Though the Zika has only been reported in certain parts of the USA thus far (Miami, Florida, Brownsville, Texas and all of Puerto Rico) its a huge public health concern.
Let's start with some basics first.
How does the Zika virus spread?
The Zika virus can been transmitted:
-Through mosquito bites
-From mother to child during pregnancy or at the time of birth
-Through having sex with a person infected with the Zika virus
-Through blood transfusions (this has only happened in Brazil thus far)
Why should we worry about the Zika virus?
-Zika infection during pregnancy can cause serious birth defects
-Zika may be associated with a neurologic condition called Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), which if undiagnosed can lead to paralysis and/or death
The Zika virus can infect anyone, but as long as you have a good working immune system - your body should be able to protect you against this virus.
Though the Zika has only been reported in certain parts of the USA thus far (Miami, Florida, Brownsville, Texas and all of Puerto Rico) its a huge public health concern.
I do not agree completely with the recent WHO statement that the ZIKA virus is no longer a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), and I still recommend caution for many important reasons listed below.
Here's why you still need to worry about the Zika virus:
1) The Zika epidemic is young, and we need more time to learn about the long-term health consequences of the Zika virus
We began to learn of how the Zika virus causes neurologic problems and birth defects in babies in July 2015. That's not too long ago! Not every baby infected by Zika developed medical problems, but its just too early to know if they ever will. Often times its hard to diagnose neurologic or behavioral disorders until a child is older. At this time - its really hard to know which baby will develop what complication from the Zika virus and when these complications can be be expected to develop.
We began to learn of how the Zika virus causes neurologic problems and birth defects in babies in July 2015. That's not too long ago! Not every baby infected by Zika developed medical problems, but its just too early to know if they ever will. Often times its hard to diagnose neurologic or behavioral disorders until a child is older. At this time - its really hard to know which baby will develop what complication from the Zika virus and when these complications can be be expected to develop.
2) Zika can affect the brain in ways beyond microcephaly
The common complication of the Zika virus in newborns is microcephaly (the development of smaller brains and skulls). What you may not know is that a study published in Radiology suggests that there are many other brain abnormalities that can occur with the Zika virus beyond just microcephaly. Whether or not these other brain abnormalities are significant clinically, is unknown....however, Zika has been shown to affect brain development leading to abnormalities in speech, hearing, behavior, intellect, movement, etc. Again when these abnormalities may arise is still unclear.
3) There is still no cure for the Zika virus
Currently the only option we have to avoid the Zika virus is prevention. There is NO treatment, NO vaccine, and NO cure at this time...though scientists are working hard at this!
Currently the only option we have to avoid the Zika virus is prevention. There is NO treatment, NO vaccine, and NO cure at this time...though scientists are working hard at this!
4) You might be infected with the Zika virus and not even know it!
According to the WHO, the MAJORITY of people (80% or more) who become infected with Zika never have symptoms. In those who do, the most common Zika virus symptoms are fever and rash; some may also develop muscle and joint pain, headache, pain behind the eyes, and conjunctivitis (red eyes).
4) We are still not sure about how long the virus actually lives in our body
We know that ONE way Zika can be transmitted is through sex, but what we don't know is how long the virus actually lives in semen and vaginal fluids and/or how long it can be passed to sex partners. Current research shows that the Zika virus remains in semen longer than in other body fluids, including vaginal fluids, urine, and blood. Scientists are still trying to figure out how long Zika can actually live in semen.
Hope this gives you some insight on the Zika virus. Please share with friends and family, especially those who are pregnant and/or trying to conceive!
Tomorrow I will blog on another popular topic-- how you can protect yourself during this Zika epidemic and the places to avoid traveling to!
**PLEASE REMEMBER IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH AND/OR BEFORE STARTING OR STOPPING ANY TREATMENT OR ACTING UPON INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE, YOU SHOULD CONTACT YOUR OWN PHYSICIAN OR HEALTH-CARE PROVIDER**
Tomorrow I will blog on another popular topic-- how you can protect yourself during this Zika epidemic and the places to avoid traveling to!
**PLEASE REMEMBER IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH AND/OR BEFORE STARTING OR STOPPING ANY TREATMENT OR ACTING UPON INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE, YOU SHOULD CONTACT YOUR OWN PHYSICIAN OR HEALTH-CARE PROVIDER**
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