OSU Extension provides Zika virus info

VW independent/submitted information

PAULDING — Zika virus has been an emerging story in the news for the past several weeks. As with any new disease, anxiety and fears of the unknown can allow our minds to wonder to a point that we forget what is known.

One of the roles of the Ohio State University Extension is to provide the latest research on issues that may be a concern for Ohioans. The following article on the Zika virus has been adapted from information from Dr. Pete Permarini, veterinarian entomologist for the OSU Department of Entomology.

At this time, it is known that the Zika virus is transmitted to humans by a certain type of mosquito. This particular type of mosquito has to feed on a host that has the virus before it can transfer the virus to another human. The yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, is the specific mosquito that can carry the Zika virus, and is also responsible for spreading the viruses that cause yellow fever, dengue fever, and chikungunya fever in humans. This is an invasive insect that is found throughout Central and South America and the southern part of North America (Mexico and the southern U.S.). Since it is a tropical mosquito, it does not exist in the colder temperate climate of Ohio.

The Zika virus was first discovered in the 1940s in primates of the Zika Forest in Uganda. The disease has occurred in Africa and Asia, but was not until recently considered a global health concern. It was first detected in the Western Hemisphere around 2013-2014 in an outbreak that occurred in French Polynesia and Easter Island. The Zika virus reached Brazil in May of 2015, and it is thought that an infected French Polynesian soccer player may have brought it to Brazil during the 2014 World Cup games. To date, the virus has spread north to Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.

Symptoms of the Zika virus include fever, rash, joint pain, muscle pain, headache, and red eyes — common symptoms for many diseases. For most people, the symptoms are mild and last for a few days to a week. However, since the virus arrived in Brazil there has been an unusually large number of reported cases of microcephaly, a birth defect in babies that causes abnormally small heads and incomplete brain development.

There has been no direct evidence that the virus has caused the defect, but as a precaution the U.S. Center for Disease Control recommends pregnant women or women who plan a pregnancy avoid travel to countries where the Zika virus is known to occur. The likelihood of an outbreak of Zika virus in Ohio is very low. There have been a few reported cases of individuals with the Zika virus in Ohio, but the infection occurred while visiting countries with the disease. The virus has not been detected in any U.S. mosquito populations.

The virus would have to be become adapted to mosquitoes in Ohio before it would become a concern. The current mosquito carrier, the yellow fever mosquito, is not found in Ohio.

There is a closely related species called the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, which occurs in Ohio and throughout much of the eastern U.S. It is not a common mosquito in the state, but it is unknown at this time whether the Asian tiger mosquito could be an effective future carrier. However, at this time Zika viral outbreaks in Ohio would be remote, since the virus would have to become established in an Ohio mosquito population, which are thought not to be effective carriers, and then before entering that mosquito population, a mosquito would have to feed on an individual that has the virus.

It is still recommended that Ohioans take steps to avoid being bitten by a mosquito since there are other diseases that they may get from mosquitoes, such as West Nile and La Crosse viruses. These steps would include the use of insect repellants, wearing long sleeves and long pants, and eliminating potential mosquito breeding grounds near residences.

Keep gutters and downspout clean of debris, changing the water in bird baths, outside pet water bowls, rain barrels, and draining water from tires stored outside are all mosquito breeding sites. Even though the Zika virus is not a concern in Ohio this year, it would still be a good idea during spring cleaning activities to fix window and door screens and remove items that may allow water to collect for mosquito breeding.

For additional information on the Zika Virus, contact Sarah Noggle, Paulding County Extension educator-agriculture and natural resources, at noggle.17@osu.edu or contact the OSU Extension Office, 503 Fairground Drive in Paulding, or call 419.399.8225, Extension 28.