Zika Virus Brings New Mosquito Scare

The Zika Virus Brings New Mosquito Scare

Warmer days are approaching and your tropical spring break is only weeks away. As a result, mosquito-borne illnesses like the Zika virus are catching your attention. The Centers for Disease Control recently escalated the Zika virus to Level 1 status. Naturally, this is raising concern across the US– and especially in the Southeast, the area most likely to be affected as the virus spreads.

You can read that news article here.

Last spring, the virus found its way to the Americas, with the first confirmed case in Brazil. Since then, it has spread to other locations: South and Central America, certain Pacific Islands, and the Caribbean. There are also confirmed cases in Africa and Asia. The Level 1 designation suggests the CDC thinks the virus has pandemic characteristics.

So far, the 50 cases treated in the United States have been travel-associated, brought back by citizens traveling outside the country. However, this is likely to chance, since the Aedes aegpyti mosquito (which actively transmits the illness) is found in most of the “lower 48.” Experts think it’s likely that the Zika virus will spread throughout the states in the near future.

Though the common, usually mild symptoms of fever, rash, joint pain, and red eyes disappear in a week or less, the science suggests that the virus may be a culprit in serious birth defects, requiring closer scrutiny and preventative measures.

Our Forgotten History of Mosquitoes and Malaria

Mosquito-borne illness in the Southeast as well as the greater U.S. were pretty much eradicated with effective measures for the control of malaria. Malaria, or Yellow Fever, was a major health problem for most of the southeastern coastal regions throughout the 19th century.

Fear of getting the illness also caused people living in the low country to seek summer refuge in the mountains, something we’ve forgotten over time. We do know that despite the use of quinine as a remedy, those who contracted malaria often died. Those who got sick almost certainly were quarantined on “pest islands” off the shore and kept away from other people.

But, thanks to developments in prevention and treatment, malaria ceased to be a public health concern for Americans by the start of the 20th century.

Common Sense Mosquito Prevention for Appalachian Folks

Though we’ve all but forgotten the effects of a mosquito-borne epidemic, most of us fortunately remember the good common sense measures we were taught by parents and grandparents to keep down the mosquito population:

dump containers in the yard that could hold water or stagnate
keep the lid closed on old-fashioned artesian wells
stay out of water that’s stagnant, and don’t let your pets drink it
use a hoe to drain standing water in or near your yard
keep covered up when working in shrubs or bushes
wear insect repellant (deet free options work great)
light citronella candles or torches when picnicking late in the day

All these still apply. In fact, the torches and fires that smoke are methods used for centuries to keep mosquitoes at bay, and the safer options available today are better than those our grandparents used.

Talking with Your Family About the Zika Virus

If your kids or grandkids are worried or interested in the historical aspects of mosquito-borne illness, I might watch the 1938 Bette Davis movie, “Jezebel,” together. Set in Louisiana, it’s considered a fairly accurate historical depiction of a malaria outbreak and public health measures in the antebellum South. Science has come a long way since then, which could lead to a good discussion.

Chances are, the Zika virus will get sensationalized by the media if and when locally acquired cases are confirmed in the states. I would go ahead and prepare children now to recognize the mild symptoms of the virus before the fear tactics start.

Plus, if your family plans a vacation in the Caribbean, Puerto Rico, or other affected regions, I encourage you to start a conversation about health and safety differences in those countries. It’s not just language and culture that change when we leave the country. Learn more here in this White House sourced blog.

Right now, at home in the Appalachians, mosquitoes are simply a growing nuisance due to mild winters, frequent rains, and warming temperatures. The stuff we usually do to keep those pests at bay will continue to work. We shouldn’t be overly alarmed by the Zika virus, but we also shouldn’t encourage pesky mosquito populations to reproduce around or near our homes.