Most everyone has probably heard of the Zika virus by now, but did you know that it recently hit Fresno? Just a few weeks ago, a woman in Fresno County was diagnosed with the infection in a Fresno county health clinic, according to ABC30 Action News! The Fresno Bee also reported that 6 people in Fresno County have been tested. Four women (three pregnant and one recently delivered), and two men were tested. The women all tested negative, but the men are still waiting for results. While the virus can be dangerous and even deadly, prevention is simple and very much possible for local Fresno county residents. Here’s what you need to know.
According to the CDC, there is no cure for the Zika virus, but if you do contract the infection, your body is likely to produce antibodies necessary to protect you from it in the future. The Zika virus is spread through a specific type of mosquito that can, and is likely to survive in Fresno. As it is summertime, it is very important to be aware of this fact. It can also be transferred from a pregnant woman to her unborn fetus and a man who is infected can pass the virus on to a sexual partner.
The symptoms are very much flu like in presentation. Patients will have a fever, rash, joint pain, headaches, muscle pain, and red eyes. Symptoms last a days to a week, during which time it is recommended that you get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids, and take over the counter pain medication, like acetaminophen. The CDC advises that you do NOT take aspirin or any other anti-inflammatory and consult a doctor if you are already on medication at the time of infection.
You can try to prevent the infection, you can
- wear long sleeve pants and shirts
- stay in buildings with air conditioning or windows with screens
- control mosquito populations around your home by using an EPA approved insect repellant
- treat clothing and gear with permethrin (an anti-parasitic)
Expecting mothers, women who are trying to get pregnant and men who are sexually active should be especially cautious in preventing the infection. This virus can spread very quickly from an infected person to a mosquito to a healthy person, and at this point has only diagnosed in the US because of travel. While this virus has proven mostly non-lethal, women can pass it on their unborn children, and in those cases, it can be fatal. In fetuses, the virus causes eye and ear defects, as well as impaired growth, and microcephaly. Microcephaly prevents a child’s head and brain growth so that it is significantly smaller than that of a healthy baby. Because of this, it is very important that the virus be taken seriously. For more information, please visit the CDC website.
