If you’ve been following the news recently, you’ve undoubtedly seen more than a few references to the Zika virus, a mosquito-borne disease that has seemingly exploded into the public consciousness in recent weeks. In reality, the disease has been around for several years, but now it seems to be spreading even further abroad, and its horrible side effects are increasing in potency.
The Zika virus has been around since at least the 1950s, but it has generally remained confined to a narrow band that surrounds Earth near the equator. It had been found most prominently in Africa and Asia, although it has now spread to Latin America as well, and cases have been reported in places ranging from Brazil to Mexico. The disease has even been found in the Caribbean, with places like the US Virgin Islands, Barbados, Sint Maarten, and Puerto Rico reporting cases.
For most people, the general symptoms of Zika resemble a cold. The CDC says that about 1 in 5 people who contract the virus actually get sick. Those who often have fever, joint and muscle pain, conjunctivitis, headaches and skin rash. Those symptoms are generally mild and last only a few days or a week. Currently, there is no vaccine, and the standard treatment is to get as much rest as possible, stay hydrated, and take basic medications to relieve fever and pain.
If those were the only symptoms, and recovery was so easy, there would be little reason to worry. But unfortunately, Zika has some incredibly bad side effects for one segment of the population: women who are currently pregnant or trying to get pregnant. The virus is now believed to be the cause of the birth defect called microcephaly. This condition causes a baby to be born with an abnormally small head and severe brain damage.
In Brazil, where the Zika virus is now known to be common, the number of microcephaly cases grew substantially last year. In the past, the country saw around 200 cases of birth defects in any given year, but in 2015 that number soared to more than 3,000. Worse still, more than 3,500 cases have been reported between October 2015 and January 2016. An alarming increase to say the least.
Clearly, the threat to pregnant women is substantial. So much so that several countries advise female travelers to avoid any country where Zika is known to be active. And in the case of El Salvador, the country has advised its citizens to avoid getting pregnant until after 2018. The idea that a country does not have new children born for two years seems incredible.
So far, for male travelers, there appears to be no cause for concern, as there has been no link to the disease that causes birth defects after the father was infected. But this is a major concern for any woman who may be traveling to the affected areas in the near future, especially if she is already pregnant or trying to do so. However, if that’s not the case, there doesn’t seem to be any long-term effect from the virus entering the system.
One of the most concerning aspects of the Zika virus is how quickly it seems to spread. Most experts consider that it is only a matter of time before it reaches the US. UU., Where it could affect a large part of the population. But more than that, this could turn into a global epidemic if the strain of the virus found in Latin America reaches other parts of the world. And since someone who carries the disease can transmit it to other mosquitoes through the bite of the insect, the probability of that happening also seems high.
Pregnant women who have plans to travel in areas where the virus is already active should probably consider canceling those plans. In fact, several airlines in South America are allowing female passengers to cancel their flights and receive a refund, as is United and American. Others will surely follow.
At the moment, when it comes to dealing with Zika, discretion seems to be the best part of the value.
Update: When this article was first written, there was no indication that Zika could be transmitted through sexual intercourse. But now, it has been shown that the disease can be passed from an infected man to a woman through sex. While this transmission method has only been recorded twice so far, it is cause for concern. Be sure to take proper precautions when visiting areas where Zika is now known to be spreading.
