CDC issues travel guidelines for pregnant women

Zika is transmitted through bites from infected Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which thrive in warmer temperatures.

The travel alert targets pregnant women and those who want to become pregnant and follows reports that thousands of babies in Brazil were born previous year with microcephaly, a brain disorder experts associate with Zika exposure.

The virus, which was until recently limited to a handful of countries in equatorial Africa and Asia, first appeared in Brazil in May.

Late Friday, the agency urged pregnant women to avoid, if possible, travel to 14 countries and territories in the Americas which are now experiencing Zika virus infections.

CDC said all travelers should take protective measures against mosquitoes, such as netting and repellent, if they travel to areas where the infection is present.

Those who must travel to countries where the virus is spreading should consult their doctors, the CDC advised.

The child’s mother was living in Brazil in May and probably was infected by a mosquito then, early in her pregnancy, the health department said.

“However, recent chikungunya and dengue outbreaks in the United States suggest that Zika outbreaks in the USA mainland may be likely limited in size”, Petersen said.

That same advice holds for women who are trying to get pregnant, or contemplating starting a family.

Zika had never before been suspected of causing microcephaly and was considered a fairly benign virus.

If you’re traveling to South America, Central America, or even the Caribbean, there’s a new mosquito-borne virus that has been linked to birth defects and miscarriages.

The CDC on Friday recommended that pregnant women consider postponing travel to any countries or regions with active Zika virus transmission.

Last year, Brazil reported about 20 times its average level of microcephaly.

Pregnant women or women who are planning to get pregnant are not the only ones who should show and abundance of caution, but CDC warns United States doctors to be aware of any symptoms of Zika infection. For those that do, Zika illness usually involves fever, rash, joint pain, and red eyes – which usually last no more than a week. The disease causes only a mild illness in most people.

According to Brazilian health authorities, more than 3,500 microcephaly cases were reported in Brazil between October 2015 and January 2016, the CDC says.

Zika was first identified in 1947 in Uganda.

But he said there was no need for alarm. Three out of four infected people have no symptoms at all, according to the Pan American Health Organization.

The disease is primarily spread by mosquitoes, though there is some evidence that it may also be transmitted sexually. “Mosquitos can carry serious diseases, as we know too well with our current dengue outbreak and it is imperative that we all Fight the Bite by reducing mosquito breeding areas, avoiding places with mosquitos, and applying repellant as needed”.