Thursday, July 14, 2016

New Zika Resources for the Public

Hiring a professional is one way that the public
can help reduce mosquito biting risk around the home.
I was asked a few weeks ago if the collective "we" (meaning the whole state of Texas) were going to be ready for Zika.  My answer was a cautious, "I think so".  If we're not, it at least it won't be for lack of trying.

Zika is a much different disease than West Nile virus. It has different vectors, mosquitoes that prefer to feed on humans over any other animal (unlike WNV mosquitoes, which mostly feed on birds).  It is also very difficult to detect in wild mosquito populations.  The mosquitoes are more difficult to control with spray trucks, so responding to local cases is going to depend more on public cooperation.

Unlike WNV, Zika is virtually undetectable in the blood supply, as there is no approved way to screen newly donated blood to see whether it has the Zika virus in it. If Zika does make it into the country, it will also potentially affects more people.  Any family with members of childbearing age will need to be on high alert. The CDC recently released its response plan for Zika.  It's assumptions are sobering:
  • Travel-associated and sexually-transmitted cases will continue to occur and are likely to increase. (we just don't know how much!)
  • Local transmission (spread) of Zika virus in US territories and affiliated Pacific Island countries is ongoing.
  • Neither vaccines nor proven clinical treatments are expected to be available to treat or prevent Zika virus infections before local transmission begins nationwide.
  • The ability for mosquito control efforts to reduce infection risks may be limited, as has been the case with similar viruses, such as dengue and chikungunya.
The entomology department, and especially my colleague Extension entomologist Dr. Sonja Swiger, has been busy in recent weeks trying to figure out how to best arm everyone with the best information on how to prepare for the "Summer of Zika".

As part of the effort, some new fact sheets from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension are now available to answer some of the more common Zika questions. These may be useful for your customers who are worried about mosquitoes and how to protect themselves.  The DIY fact sheet talks about the different consumer-oriented treatment options, including hiring a professional.

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