By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
More than 20 Ohioans have been diagnosed with Zika Virus this year. But local residents need not worry about mosquitoes in their backyards or area parks spreading the virus.
Local residents with concerns about Zika are invited to a presentation tonight at 7, in the Simpson Building, 1291 Conneaut Ave., Bowling Green. The program will be hosted by the Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Department, and presented by Wood County Health District epidemiologist Connor Rittwage and health educator Jennifer Campos.
“It’s for anybody curious about it,” Rittwage said. “We’ll take as many questions as we can.”
But Zika Virus is nothing for local residents to be stressed about, he added. “Our level of worry has not changed too much. It’s something to definitely watch. But the chances of it developing in Wood County are very low.”
Zika is primarily transmitted by mosquitoes, and has spread through much of the Caribbean, Central America and South America. So far, there have been no reported cases of Zika virus transmitted by mosquito bites in the U.S.
In fact, there is no evidence anywhere in the continental U.S. of the type of mosquitoes known to transmit Zika, Rittwage said.
However, 934 cases have been reported in travelers returning to the U.S. from Zika affected countries – including 22 cases in Ohio. And 13 cases have been reported to have been sexually transmitted in the U.S., with one in Ohio.
“Travel is still a huge component,” Rittwage said.
Before traveling to another country, Rittwage advised checking with the Centers for Disease Control map. “It’s always important to check if there are any advisories.”
The Centers for Disease Control has determined the Zika Virus is much more concerning than initially believed. It is the first time a mosquito bite can cause serious brain injuries to babies, including microcephaly, a birth defect which causes the infant’s head to be small and the brain to not develop properly.
So far in the U.S., seven infants have been born with defects associated with Zika.
“If you’re going to travel to one of these countries and you can’t postpone it,” Rittwage suggested the following precautions:
- Wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
- Staying in places with air conditioning or that use window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside.
- Sleeping under a mosquito bed net if outside and not able to protect against mosquito bites.
- Wearing EPA registered insect repellents. All EPA registered insect repellents have been evaluated for effectiveness.
- Always follow the product label instructions.
- Reapply repellent as instructed.
- Do not spray insect repellent underneath clothing.
- Apply sunscreen to skin first, then insect repellent.
- Do not use insect repellent on babies younger than 2 months of age.
- Treating clothing and gear with permethrin or purchasing permethrin-treated items. Treated clothing remains protective after multiple washings.
- Avoiding mosquito exposure for three weeks after return from travel.
- Dumping standing water every 3-5 days .
For those people returning to Ohio from countries where Zika is transmitted, Rittwage advised them to minimize exposure to mosquitoes here for about three weeks to avoid transferring the illness. Men are also cautioned to use condoms to not transmit the disease sexually.
In some adults, the virus has been linked to Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare disease that can cause temporary paralysis, sometimes leading to death.
Some Central America and South America countries are vulnerable not only because of their weather, but also because of their living conditions with few homes having screens or air conditioning.
A presentation on Zika Virus was made to local medical providers last month by Dr. Michael Lemon, medical director for Wood County Health District, and Rittwage. About 50 medical professionals learned about Zika, West Nile and Lyme Disease.
Facts about Zika Virus:
Symptoms: Fever, rash, joint pain, red eyes, headache and muscle pain. Symptoms are usually mild and last for several days to a week after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Most people do not know they have been infected.
Transmission: Mosquito bites, from infected mother to child, sexual intercourse with infected male, blood transfusions.
Treatment: Though efforts are being made, no vaccine is available yet. Symptoms are treated with rest, fluids and acetaminophen to reduce fever and pain.
Complications: Microcephaly, poor pregnancy outcomes, Guillain-Barre syndrome.
Anyone with questions about the Zika Virus is advised to call the health district at 419-352-8402, call their personal physicians, and follow CDC recommendations for travel. Information may also be found at http://www.woodcountyhealth.org/nursing/zika.html.
