The Zika Virus Is Worse Than Expected: Is the North Shore at Greater Risk Than Suspected?

The Zika Virus reclaimed its spot as the top news story of 2016 when the CDC warned health and government officials that the health dangers of Zika Virus are worse than they first feared. A culmination of months of scientific studies resulted in the CDC urging government officials to approve financing for further Zika research to combat this dangerous virus.

THE ZIKA MOSQUITOES ARE IN 30 STATES

This announcement came on the heels of the CDC updating their Zika mosquito map to span across 30 states versus the previous 12 states marked as habitat for the two mosquitoes most responsible for today’s Zika outbreak. While the Aedes Albopictus (Asian Tiger) mosquito was already known to be present here on the North Shore, the expansion of its reach to states farther north could also mean a larger population in states previously facing a smaller population of the warm weather loving insects.

ZIKA VIRUS DOES CAUSE MICROCEPHALY IN INFANTS

Until now, health officials have been careful in labeling Zika Virus as being “linked” to microcephaly in infants. Until now. According to a report by Medscape, the link has been confirmed. Zika Virus is the cause of an increase in microcephaly and other birth defects in affected areas.  While this news is certainly a big breakthrough, there is a great deal more research to do to discover the level of risk for birth defects when a pregnant mother becomes infected with Zika Virus.

ZIKA RISKS FOR NON-PREGNANT PATIENTS

Along with all of the concrete evidence of Zika causing microcephaly in infants comes new links to other health complications. Not just dangerous to babies and pregnant mother’s anymore, Zika has been linked to two auto-immune disorders. Guillain-Barre syndrome causes temporary paralysis that can lead to death if not treated properly. Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is much like muscular sclerosis but is typically only a single attack. Both diseases are caused when the immune system mistakenly attacks its own body. More research is underway to establish the strength of these relationships.

PREVENTING ZIKA VIRUS COMPLICATIONS

The CDC is still urging pregnant women to avoid travel to affected areas by following the CDC travel guide. They are also advising couples who are considering pregnancy to exercise additional caution as the Zika Virus is also sexually transmitted. The CDC has released an easy guide for couples to help them avoid transmitting Zika Virus to each other. Otherwise, preventing mosquito bites is the best form of prevention in avoiding becoming infected with the Zika Virus.

Mosquito Squad of the North Shore can provide you with an 85-90% reduction in mosquitoes on your property with our traditional barrier treatment. With this level of protection, you will gain peace of mind along with a pest-free lifestyle where a can of mosquito repellent doesn’t have to come with you every time you walk out the door. With our 100% satisfaction guarantee, you have nothing to lose, except for annoying dangerous mosquitoes and ticks.