Where does the zika virus come from and what is it

A few facts about the zika virus and its mosquitoes. The zika virus is spread from the infected mosquitoes from the Aedes species. There are two different mosquitoes species that spread the virus, and one is known as the Asian Tiger mosquito.

This species is unique in the fact that they are mostly active during the day which tends to catch people off guard. Most people tend to be more cautious about mosquitoes in the early morning and evening when things cool off. It is an important reminder that any time of day is of concern if one is in a zika region.  

Another very dangerous disease spread by mosquitoes is malaria. Most often these malaria carrying mosquitoes are active in the evening and at night.

Even though we are hearing a lot about the virus lately, the first human case was actually discovered in 1954. The zika virus is most often found in tropical climates, however there have been cases reported all over the US. Most commonly the zika virus has been found in Europe and South America.

The vast majority of people who have become infected with the virus show no symptoms, however if symptoms do occur, they usually are in the form of a rash, headaches, fever, joint pain, muscle pain, and red eyes.

The zika virus can also be linked to some birth defects and can be transferred to unborn babies through pregnant mothers. The babies often experience a shrunken head and this can also cause brain damage. Some countries are urging people to hold off from child bearing and pregnancy with so many recent cases of the zika virus.

Recently the CDC has also issued several travel warnings across the world in the most prevalent areas for the disease. Some areas include:

North America: Mexico and Florida

Oceania: American Samoa, Fiji, Kosrae (Federated States of Micronesia), Marshall Islands, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga

Africa: Cape Verde

Caribbean: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Bonaire, Curaçao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Puerto Rico, Saba, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, US Virgin Islands

Central and South America: Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela

In the US the threat isn’t as severe, however there are a few things you should do to help keep you and your family safe during this year’s mosquito season.

The first is to wear long sleeve clothing and pants when you are outside this summer. You can also wear EPA recommended bug spray to help keep the mosquitos away. If you go camping, you should use bug nets around your tents and campsite to help keep bugs out.  Around your home you should focus on eliminating any standing water. This could include things like dog dishes outside, kiddy pools, flower pots, or even fire pits. If you can eliminate the breeding grounds for mosquitoes, you can help to reduce their numbers.

Rove Pest Control has created a great infographic on Zika and pregnancy:

This article was written by Rove Pest Control http://www.rovepestcontrol.com/