healthspin
by Stacy R. Newman, MD
North Oaks Infectious Disease Clinic
Protect yourself from West Nile and
Zika ... prevention is key
Dr. Newman
28
You’re getting ready to
hit the ball off the tee onto
the fairway and a pesky
mosquito lands on your
arm, breaking your concentration.
Although you’re irritated by the interruption, the
mosquito could be more
than just an annoyance. It
could be a threat to your
health.
Recent floodwaters that
deluged south Louisiana in
August will likely spawn a
large crop of mosquitoes,
causing health officials to
have concerns about the
potential for increased cases of West Nile and Zika
viruses. Both West Nile
and Zika are viruses that
are transmitted to humans
by mosquitoes, through the
Aedes species.
Prior to the flooding, no
cases of West Nile in people had been reported this
year, but the virus has been
found in mosquitoes, birds
and other creatures. The
potential for Zika cases is
not as great because the
specific types of mosquitoes that carry the virus are
not found in large numbers
in our area at this time.
But don’t let that lull
you into a false sense of
security. A recent report
published by the Centers
for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) found
that there was a sharp increase in West Nile cases in
Louisiana after Hurricane
Katrina. Flooding tends to
flush out mosquito larvae
and their predators from
breeding areas.
About one in 150 people
infected with West Nile will
develop serious illness. The
severe symptoms can include high fever, headache,
neck stiffness, tremors,
muscle weakness, numbness and paralysis. The
symptoms may last several
weeks and neurological effects may be permanent.
About 80 percent of people will not show any symptoms at all.
Officials are also watching for Zika because of the
standing water throughout
south Louisiana, although
there have been no report-