baby
BY DR. DANIELLE SIMONS
Tips for Avoiding the
Zika Virus
I
t was two years after the end of WWII in the
Zika forest of Uganda that the Zika virus was
first described. In 1952 the virus was first seen in
humans and the first large outbreak occurred on the
island of Yap (Micronesia) in 2007. The Zika virus is
endemic in many countries particularly in Southeast
Asia but you are most at risk of becoming infected
if you live or travel to a region where there is active
transmission occurring e.g. certain areas of South and
Central America, Asia, the Caribbean and the Pacific
Islands. An up to date list of specific countries with
outbreaks can be found on the CDC website.
Zika is spread through the bite of infected
mosquitos. Anyone who has not already been infected
is at risk for infection. We do not have the mosquito
4
(Aedes Egypti) that carries the Zika virus in Bermuda.
We do however have a close relative of this mosquito
the Aedes albopictus that could be a potential carrier
of Zika. Most people who have been infected have
no symptoms. Approximately 1 in 5 people who are
infected will go on to develop Zika virus disease.
Symptoms may include fever, rash, joint pain along
with redness of the eyes and symptoms generally start
2-7 days after being bitten.
If a pregnant woman becomes infected with Zika
the effect on the unborn baby can be devastating.
Problems can include babies being born with
an abnormally small head, a condition known as
microcephaly. Babies with microcephaly often have
underdeveloped brains. Eye defects, hearing loss and