In July, the CDC reported that 279 pregnant women in the U.S. and its territories have contracted the virus. Should pregnant women in Central Pennsylvania be concerned? Dr. Michael Colli, chief medical officer of Keystone Health, shares what you need to know about the virus in this second part of his series on Zika virus.
Who’s at Risk?
When it comes to Zika virus, pregnant women are the most at risk since they are the most likely to suffer catastrophic consequences. However, partners of women of childbearing age should also be cautious because we now know it can be spread through sexual contact. The CDC now recommends that men and women of childbearing age who have traveled to areas with Zika virus, should wear condoms for 6 months after travel to prevent pregnancy and virus transmission.
Prevention
The best means of protection at this time is to avoid the mosquitoes by either avoiding travel to areas with the Zika virus, or if travel is unavoidable, to wear insect repellent or outerwear that covers the arms and legs. The best insect repellent is one that contains DEET. For those who have traveled to an area where Zika is prevalent, they should have protected sex upon returning, to prevent spread to their partners.
What is being done?
There is a tremendous amount of fear that this virus could spread quickly, leading to the potential for a mini-epidemic of microcephaly. As far-fetched as that may sound, there is still a tremendous amount about this virus that we don’t know and things are rapidly evolving as more research comes out. States are spending more money on mosquito spraying and eradication programs, which can help some. But mosquitoes are widespread and spraying will never kill all of them. Individuals can do their part by removing standing water in their yards. One mosquito can lay thousands of eggs in a cup of rain water.
Treatment
There is no current treatment; nor is there a vaccine. A future Zika vaccine is probably more realistic than a treatment, as many who contract the virus don’t realize they have it (while the virus wreaks havoc on the unborn child’s brain), making treatment options difficult. A vaccine would prevent people from contracting the virus if bitten by an infected mosquito. Again, this is likely years away from becoming available.
What To Do
Pregnant women who have recently traveled to an endemic area or who have had a possible exposure to Zika should speak with their obstetrician about being tested for the virus. Although no treatment is available, knowing whether a pregnant woman is harboring the virus would result in increased fetal ultrasonography to monitor for micorcephaly. At this time, all testing currently has to be run through the CDC through the Pennsylvania Dept. of Health. It’s important for pregnant women to contact their health care provider with any questions or concern about the Zika virus, especially if they have had recently travelled to a tropical area.
This article contains general information only and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis, treatment or care by a qualified health care provider. Also, information regarding Zika is evolving rapidly and the information provided in this article was accurate at the time of its writing.
