(SAN ANTONIO) August 8, 2016 – As the number of Zika-infected clients keeps rising in the united states and its territories, so do the concerns. “We are focused on and frankly concerned about the possibility of birth defects and miscarriages in babies born to women with Zika virus,” said Dr. Jennifer McQuiston. Dr. McQuiston is the deputy division Director, High consequence Pathogens and Pathology, at the Centers for disease control (CDC). She will also be presenting the most recent data concerning Zika virus in the U.S. at the American Veterinary medical association (AVMA) annual Convention, August 5-9, in San Antonio.
Although nearly all cases reported in the continental united states have been travel-associated or in sexual partners of travelers, additional issues are now on the radar. In Utah, a case of Zika infection was recently confirmed in a family contact and caregiver of an elderly client who died infected with uniquely high amounts of Zika virus—more than 100,000 times those typically found in infected people. In addition, new cases recently reported in Miami suggest local spread of Zika virus by mosquitoes there, and pregnant women are recommended against travel to the affected community.
Zika virus is spread mainly through the bite of an infected Aedes species of mosquito; it can also be sexually transmitted. The disease became a nationally notifiable condition in the united states in January 2016. One month later, the world health organization declared Zika virus a Public health emergency of international issue in reaction to the clusters of microcephaly, or incomplete brain development, and other neurological disorders. The CDC is also researching whether Zika virus triggers early miscarriages and Guillain-Barre Syndrome. The latter is an uncommon sickness of the nervous system that can cause muscle weakness, nerve damage and possible paralysis or death. There is no vaccine or treatment for Zika virus.
The link of Zika to birth defects is the main impetus behind the CDC awarding nearly $60 million in August to states, cities, and territories to support efforts to safeguard Americans from Zika virus. as of July 21, 2016, 433 pregnant women have evaluated positive for Zika virus in the united states and district of Columbia. These women are part of the U.S. Zika pregnancy Registry, recently formed by the CDC to monitor pregnant women with Zika and their infants.
“We are following women during and after pregnancy, as well as infants who survive,” said Dr. McQuiston. “We don’t know the long-term effects of fetuses who survive the virus. There might be cognitive effects or other developmental delays. We don’t know. much research is still needed.”
As of July 27, 2016, 1,658 cases of Zika have been reported in the continental united states and Hawaii; none of these have been the result of local spread by mosquitoes, with fewer than 20 believed to be the result of sexual transmission and one as a result of a laboratory exposure. In U.S. territories, however, the numbers tell another story. as of this writing, Puerto Rico has 4,699 cases locally acquired.
“We have teams on the ground around the world as part of our education and prevention efforts,” said Dr. McQuiston. “In Puerto Rico, we are distributing Zika prevention kits including mosquito repellent and other prevention tools. Ensuring women can avoid pregnancy if desired is also important.” The CDC advises men who travel and are exposed to the virus to use condoms or abstain from sex for six months. The virus can live in semen for months.
Women who are pregnant are cautioned not to travel to Zika-infected areas. As a precaution, women of child-bearing age are recommended to wait eight weeks before trying to get pregnant after traveling to a Zika-infected country.
In 2015, large epidemics of the Zika virus have occurred in Brazil, central America, some Caribbean islands and South America. as of February 2016, 34 countries and territories have active transmission of Zika virus, which can cause symptoms of fever, body aches and red eyes. Typically, many people do not become ill and may not realize they have been infected.
“We have known about Zika for a long time,” said Dr. McQuiston. “It was first identified in the 1940s in Uganda, but human infections were rarely reported. With the recent epidemic and much more cases to study, we now see that devastating birth defects can be a possible outcome of Zika infection during pregnancy.”
Dr. McQuiston reiterated that we don’t have evidence of Zika virus here in the United States, but that may change as the summer progresses, and as information comes back from the two questionable cases in Utah and Florida.
“Preparation is key,” Dr. McQuiston added. “We are fortunate to have had time to prepare for a possible introduction of Zika in the U.S. We’ve been working closely with state and local governments as they prepare local reaction plans. The infrastructure is in place. now we should view the situation closely.”
To learn much more about the AVMA annual Convention, check out www.avmaconvention.org. For much more information on media opportunities at the AVMA Convention, and to register as a press attendee, contact Michael San Filippo, AVMA senior media relations specialist, at 847-285-6687 (office), 847-732-6194 (cell) ormsanfilippo@avma.org. members of the media should register with the AVMA prior to the convention to validate their press credentials and guarantee that their press badges and materials are ready for them when they arrive. Registration for the press is free.
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The AVMA, founded in 1863, is one of the oldest and largest veterinary medical organizations in the world, with much more than 88,000 member veterinarians worldwide engaged in a broad variety of professional activities and dedicated to the art and science of veterinary medicine.