By: Peter Teska, Infection Prevention Application Expert, Diversey Care
Mosquitoes may be small, but the diseases they carry are mighty, from malaria and West Nile virus to dengue fever, and the latest threat, Zika virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Zika virus a public health emergency of international concern and expects that there will be between three and four million infections in the Americas by the end of 2016.
While not yet proven, a number of experts are suggesting there may be a link between Zika virus infections and a condition called microcephaly, which results in infants being born with smaller skulls and incomplete brain development. Microcephaly results in deformity and potential developmental delays, seizures and hearing and vision loss. In many countries, women are being advised to delay plans for becoming pregnant for at least six months.
The CDC is also advising pregnant women to avoid traveling to countries with Zika virus infections. Although the Zika virus is a small, enveloped virus, which can easily be killed on environmental surfaces using disinfectants, environmental contamination does not appear to play a role in its transmission because mosquitoes are the main vector. Thus, minimizing or eliminating contact with mosquitoes becomes a critical prevention strategy.
If you’re planning to travel to affected regions, or even areas with high mosquito activity where Zika has not yet been identified, it’s important to take precautions. Those working or enjoying time outside should consider the following tips:
• Use governmental registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), or IR3535 on exposed skin and outer layers of clothing. DEET is one of the active ingredients listed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for use in repellents to keep away potentially disease carrying mosquitoes and ticks. Repellents are available with varying levels of DEET.
• Wear light-colored, long-sleeved shirts and long pants in heavier fabrics.
• Eliminate any standing water in and around residences, as this is where mosquitoes like to breed.
• Use flying insect-killing products (insecticides) to help reduce the number of mosquitoes and potentially kill them before they have the opportunity to lay eggs.
• Use screens on windows and doors to prevent mosquitoes from entering residences, repair any holes in screens and sleep under mosquito nets in areas that are not well-screened.
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