The Zika virus may cause birth defects — and experts think it's coming to the US

[applegrove]

The Zika virus may cause birth defects — and experts think it's coming to the US

by Julia Belluz at Vox

http://www.vox.com/2016/1/5/10716530/zika-virus-disease

"SNIP...........


The Zika virus — a rare tropical disease that's causing a panic in Brazil because it may cause babies to be born with abnormally small heads — has made its way to Puerto Rico. And experts fear the mainland United States could be next.

Until last year, the Zika virus, which is spread by mosquitoes, was mainly confined to Africa and Asia. But in 2015 the disease made the leap to the Western Hemisphere, affecting more than a million people in Brazil. It's since spread to Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, and 10 other countries.

On December 31, the first confirmed case in the US was reported in Puerto Rico. This case suggested local transmission — that a mosquito in Puerto Rico was carrying the virus — since the patient hadn't been traveling.

Meanwhile, travelers returning to other parts of the US have also been diagnosed with the virus, but so far there have been no other reported cases of local transmission on the mainland.



...........SNIP"

[malaise]

1. We're watching nervously

There's one case in Haiti as well.

[applegrove]

2. Vibes to all the people in Latin America.

[whathehell]

3. Anything in Costs Rica that you know of? n/t

[malaise]

5. Here's a good link

http://www.ticotimes.net/2015/06/05/costa-rica-health-officials-alert-first-confirmed-cases-zika-virus-americas

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Bottom line - use mosquito repellent, exercise, eat properly, drink lots of water/coconut water. If you're staying in a guest house make sure your windows have mesh.

[whathehell]

10. Thanks, Malaise

Will.do.

[Warpy]

6. Good news for the Caribbean is the dengue vaccine now being used large scale in Mexico

If the large scale use confirms its effectiveness against all 4 subtypes of dengue, that's one real stinker of a disease you won't have to fear for much longer.

[malaise]

7. Now we have to worry about ChickV (chikungunya) and Zika

Actually we aren't worried - we use repellent, exercise and drink lots of water/coconut water.
Chick V is deadly if you have pre-existing conditions.

[Warpy]

8. It's still a bit milder than Dengue

I know if I ever manage to visit, I'll have to reek like a Girl Scout camp the whole time.

[malaise]

9. Depends on where you go

We know when to use it - we don't use repellent most of the time - that said our place has meshed windows and some doors.

[Warpy]

4. Little is known so far, it's an emerging viral disease carried by mosquitoes

but it seems to cause a fairly mild, flu like illness in adults but if it strikes during a pregnancy, the fetus will be born microcephalic, which means severe retardation if it lives long outside the womb. Most don't.

I have high hopes that there will be a vaccine before it becomes widespread across the globe.