Community Chat

[Noel7]

Here is the one from the NYTimes:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/29/health/zika-virus-spreading-explosively-in-americas-who-says.html?...

Another from the BBC:

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-35427493

And one from Marketwatch with informative maps:

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/what-exactly-is-the-zika-virus-and-why-should-you-care-2016-01-25

[ChynnaBlue]

Morning Edition did a fantastic story about this the other day. (link here). The audio portion mentions that Zika is expected to move through ALL of the Americas, with the exception of Canada.

The real tragedy is that the countries seeing the worst cases are areas where family planning is very difficult. They don't have easy access to contraception and many of these states do not allow abortion at all, not even in cases where a fetus has an extreme birth defect like microcephaly. Every woman should be in charge of her own reproductive choices and this is just one reason why it's so important. Women need access to contraception and options when a pregnancy goes wrong.

How do you tell women not to get pregnant when you don't allow them contraceptive choices? And why are they only warning women about this? We don't get pregnant all by ourselves.

[Noel7]

@ChynnaBlue

Thanks for the article!

Do you know why not Canada?  At first I thought it must be the cold weather, but I scanned and apparently Canada is known for terrible mosquitoes.

[JustJazzmom]

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@Noel7 wrote:

@ChynnaBlue

Thanks for the article!

Do you know why not Canada?  At first I thought it must be the cold weather, but I scanned and apparently Canada is known for terrible mosquitoes.

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I'm wondering if they do make it that far, they do not survive the cold frozen winters of Canada to reproduce again in the spring, might be the factor. The Chilean mountains was the other region mentioned and I imagine it might be on a similar latitude in the Southern Hemisphere as Canada is in the Northern Hemisphere??

[Noel7]

It's a puzzle about Canada.  At least Zika is not spread from person to person.

[Kachina624]

I wonder how it affects people other than pregnant women? 

People ask why they should care what happens in underdeveloped African  countries.   Well,  this and West Nile and Ebola are good examples.   The climate and squalid living conditions are the perfect incubator for disease. 

[Noel7]

@Kachina624

From the CDC on Zinka:

Symptoms

• About 1 in 5 people infected with Zika virus become ill (i.e., develop Zika).
• The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, or conjunctivitis (red eyes). Other common symptoms include muscle pain and headache. The incubation period (the time from exposure to symptoms) for Zika virus disease is not known, but is likely to be a few days to a week.
• The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week.
• Zika virus usually remains in the blood of an infected person for a few days but it can be found longer in some people.
• Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon.
• Deaths are rare.

Diagnosis

• The symptoms of Zika are similar to those of dengue and chikungunya, diseases spread through the same mosquitoes that transmit Zika.
• See your healthcare provider if you develop the symptoms described above and have visited an area where Zika is found.
• If you have recently traveled, tell your healthcare provider when and where you traveled.
• Your healthcare provider may order blood tests to look for Zika or other similar viruses like dengue or chikungunya.

Treatment

• No vaccine or medications are available to prevent or treat Zika infections.
• Treat the symptoms:
  • Get plenty of rest
  • Drink fluids to prevent dehydration
  • Take medicines, such as acetaminophen or paracetamol, to relieve fever and pain
  • Do not take aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen and naproxen. Aspirin and NSAIDs should be avoided until dengue can be ruled out to reduce the risk of hemorrhage (bleeding). If you are taking medicine for another medical condition, talk to your healthcare provider before taking additional medication.
• If you have Zika, avoid mosquito bites for the first week of your illness.
  • During the first week of infection, Zika virus can be found in the blood and passed from an infected person to another mosquito through mosquito bites.
  • An infected mosquito can then spread the virus to other people.

More detailed information can be found on CDC’s Zika virus web page for healthcare providers

[Noel7]

@Kachina624

Our local newscasters said Zika could be more difficult for those of us with auto-immune, but I don't have any real information on that.

[september]

This is such a worry to everyone...we all know someone who is of child bearing age...even if we are not.

my DIL is pregnant now, as are many of the other younger members of our family.  And all are frequent travelers.  Should they all just stay at home now?  

So so many unanswered questions.  In the USA, we do have screens on our windows to keep mosquitos out of our homes, but I know screens aren't used in most of the rest of the world.  People get bitten by mosquitoes, most often, while they're asleep in their homes. 

[Puzzle Piece]

From a retired teacher I know, the Zika virus has been around for years.  If the moms can get into the USA, then the taxpayer will foot the bill to support the child for the many years it lives.  I would think the UN would have demanded the countries with this on going disease to do something before it got out of hand.  But then, that would make sense.