Written by Laura Bottom, SIU Center for Family Medicine
The cold Midwest winter may tempt you to escape to a tropical paradise, but health care providers have a warning for would-be travelers: Beware of mosquito bites. The Zika virus, spread through the Aedes mosquito, is the latest public health emergency, affecting Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Pacific Islands and Cape Verde, Africa.
SIU Center for Family Medicine physician Dr. Wendi El-Amin cautions, “This virus presents many challenges to the medical community since 80% of infected individuals have no symptoms and no treatment exist other than supportive therapy. Additionally, the Zika virus can be spread from human to human through sexual contact.” Though symptoms are rare, some people may experience fever, rash, conjunctivitis (red eyes) and joint and muscle pain, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These symptoms could last from several days to a week.
“Health care workers should be aware of the recent travel of their patients,” Dr. El-Amin recommends.  It is strongly recommended that women who are pregnant or plan to become pregnant should postpone travel to areas where the virus is active.
Women who are pregnant or plan to become pregnant are at an especially greater risk, warns the CDC. Pregnant women who have been infected with the virus have experienced poor pregnancy outcomes, including microcephaly, a birth defect in which the baby’s head is smaller than expected when compared to babies of similar age and gender. Babies with microcephaly often have smaller brains that might not have developed properly, which could lead to future health problems.
If you plan to travel to an affect area or are unable to postpone your trip, Dr. El-Amin recommends speaking to your health care provider about steps you can take to prevent mosquito bites while traveling. For more information and current updates on the Zika virus, visit the CDC webpage at www.cdc.gov/zika/index.html.
Check out what other SIU School of Medicine doctors have to say about the virus on the State Journal-Register and News Channel 20.
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