It’s the ‘explosive pandemic’ suspected of causing thousands of cases of microcephaly and miscarriage in Brazil, but as Zika virus dominates the headlines, how serious is the threat of contracting it in Ireland?
In short, the risk is small and only globetrotters and their partners need to worry right now.
Zika virus infection has been diagnosed in a small number of travellers returning to Ireland from affected areas. All have recovered fully and no cases of Zika have been diagnosed in pregnant women to date.
However, while the disease is rare, international travel does increase the risk – and luxury honeymoon and holiday destinations are not off limits to the tiny mosquitoes that carry the virus.
Zika hit Brazil during the 2014 World Cup, resulting in a huge spike in birth defects afterwards. With the Olympics coming up in Rio in August, females of child-bearing age need to be aware of the specific risks.
Here are ten of the biggest questions surrounding Zika Virus:
1. Can I catch Zika Virus in Ireland?
Technically yes but it’s very unlikely. Here’s why: Zika virus disease is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. For this reason it is unlikely to spread in colder climates. However; in one case that has been labelled rare by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), a patient infected in Dallas, Texas, is likely to have been infected by sexual contact after their partner returned from Venezuela. In another case in Tahiti, the Zika virus was isolated from an infected patient’s semen.
2. What are the symptoms?
People with Zika virus disease usually have a mild fever, skin rash and conjunctivitis. These symptoms normally last for between two and seven days and are usually so mild that 75 per cent-80 per cent of people do not know they have it.
3. Am I at risk if my partner has travelled to a high risk area?
It’s possible. As the World Health Organisation investigates sexual transmission, adults who could potentially have been exposed to the virus in a high-risk country should use condoms for one month after returning. Anyone who has had a confirmed case of Zika virus is advised to use condoms for six months.
4. I need to travel to a high risk area, what precautions can I take?
The official advice is that pregnant women in any trimester and women who are thinking about becoming pregnant should seriously consider postponing travel to the areas where Zika virus transmission is ongoing. Pregnant women who do travel to one of these areas should talk to their doctor first and strictly follow steps to avoid mosquito bites during the trip.
5. Is it safe to get pregnant after traveling to a country with Zika virus?
Generally yes. Zika virus usually remains in the blood of an infected person for about a week. The virus will not cause infections in a baby that is conceived after the virus is cleared from the blood. Do speak to your doctor if you suspect you may have been infected at any stage previously.
6. Can a previous Zika virus infection cause someone who later becomes pregnant to have an infant with microcephaly?
No. According to the CDC, Zika virus infection does not pose a risk of birth defects for future pregnancies. Zika virus usually remains in the blood of an infected person for about a week. The virus will not cause infections in a baby that is conceived after the virus is cleared from the blood.
7. What should I do if I am pregnant and have already travelled to a country with Zika virus?
Female travellers who develop symptoms within two weeks of returning from an affected area should contact their antenatal doctor for assessment and let them know of recent travel history. Your doctor may suggest a Zika virus test.
8. How can I tell if my baby has been affected?
During pregnancy, microcephaly can sometimes be diagnosed during an ultrasound late in the second trimester or early in the third trimester. The most reliable way to assess whether a baby has microcephaly however is to measure head circumference at birth and again 24 hours after birth.
9. Is it safe to use an insect repellent if I am pregnant or nursing?
Yes. According to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, DEET is safe to use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding but only in concentrations less than 50%.The risk to a pregnant woman’s unborn baby from Zika virus would outweigh any potential risk from DEET.
10. Which countries have been labelled ‘high risk’?
Countries reporting local transmission of confirmed Zika virus infections in past nine months:
Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Cape Verde, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Maldives, Martinique, Mexico, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Saint Martin, Samoa, Solomon Islands, St Croix US Virgin Islands, Suriname, Thailand, Venezuela.
Click here for a full list of destinations to avoid if you are pregnant. For more information, see the Health Protection Surveillance Centre.
Main image: Flickr
