As if West Nile and the other diseases that mosquitoes could transmit weren’t enough, we now have to deal with another mosquito transmitted disease. However, it is not a disease that affects most people in a severe way, but the effects it can have on an unborn child are quite extreme. There are a lot of Zika virus concerns for pregnant women, but to fix it, we must all take precautions to stop it from spreading further.
What Is the Zika Virus?
Zika is a virus that is transmitted via the Aedes species of mosquitoes, unprotected sex, and from a mother to her unborn child. It is a virus that was first identified in 1947 in Africa, but no one in our area of the world seemed to know about it. However, that has changed since 2015 when it was first reported in Brazil. It resembles a mild infection. It is not harmful to people who catch it. You simply may feel a little rough for a week. For an unborn child, though, the effects could be devastating.
How Does It Affect Unborn Children?
Scientists feel that the number of babies being born with microcephaly is higher now than ever because of the Zika virus. Microcephaly is a birth defect that causes the baby’s head to be smaller than normal when they are born. The smaller head size, means that they may have smaller brains, which could lead to seizures, developmental delays, hearing and vision issues, as well as a lot of other issues. This developmental issue could be something that affects an unborn baby for their entire life. There is also an increase in the possibility that unborn babies who are exposed to the Zika virus may develop the Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which causes muscle weakness. GBS happens rarely, but it is linked to Zika. The effects may last up to several months and then most will recover, but for some the damage may be permanent.
Knowledge and Prevention of Spreading Zika
Knowledge is power. You need to know what the symptoms of the Zika virus are and what you can do to prevent it. If you have been in an area where there are cases of Zika being reported, you should know that you could be exposed to it. Symptoms of it may include fever, rash, joint or muscle pain, red eyes, headaches, pain behind the eyes, or other flu-like symptoms. If you do not have symptoms, that does not mean you are not carrying it. This is why prevention matters. We do not need a lot of people becoming infected without having symptoms. To have this occur, more unborn babies will be exposed. You need to do your research and discover the best mosquito killer. Eliminate the mosquitoes and you will eliminate a lot of the problems. This means you should prevent standing water around your home and eliminate breeding areas, wear clothing that is thin, but long enough to cover you, and check out sprays and other devices that aid in mosquito control. You can visit Proven Pest Prevention and find a lot of useful tips and information about propane mosquito traps. To fix the problem, we must all work together to protect our unborn children.