CDC, WHO update Zika virus info, warnings

by Brianna Crandall — April 22, 2016 — Since the publication of our “FMLink gathers Zika virus resources for FMs” on March 2, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other health agencies have learned more about the current state of the disease, and the CDC seems to have stepped up its expectation of and preparation for an emergence of the Zika virus in the continental United States.

Facilities managers can refer back to the article above for fuller background information on the Zika virus as well as guidance on steps FMs can take to help prevent the spread of the disease.

CDC

According to the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) for April 8, widespread Zika virus transmission in the region of the Americas since 2015 has heightened the urgency of preparing for the possibility of expansion of mosquito-borne transmission of Zika virus during the 2016 mosquito season. CDC and other U.S. government agencies have been working with state and local government partners on prevention and early detection of Zika virus infection and will increase these activities during April as part of their preparation for the anticipated emergence of mosquito-borne transmission of Zika virus in the continental United States.

Zika virus is spread primarily through the bite of infected Aedes species mosquitoes, but it can also be transmitted during sex by a man to his partners [see new CDC case study] and from a pregnant woman to her developing fetus. The most common signs and symptoms of Zika virus disease are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis. The illness is usually mild, with symptoms lasting from several days to a week.

There is increasing evidence that Zika virus infection during pregnancy is associated with early pregnancy loss, microcephaly, and other pregnancy problems. CDC therefore recommends special precautions for pregnant women. Pregnant women are advised not to travel to areas with active Zika virus transmission and to consistently and correctly use condoms during sex (i.e., vaginal intercourse, anal intercourse, or fellatio) or to abstain from sex for the duration of the pregnancy with male partners who reside in or have traveled to areas with active Zika virus transmission. Pregnant women who live in or must travel to one of these areas should talk to their healthcare provider and strictly follow steps to prevent Zika virus infection acquisition from mosquito bites and through sexual transmission.

On April 1, CDC hosted a Zika Action Plan Summit, which focused on awareness and planning for U.S. state and local jurisdictions most likely to face mosquito-borne transmission of Zika virus in the coming months. The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa are already experiencing active mosquito-borne Zika virus transmission at varying levels. The Summit provided senior state and local government officials with information, plans, and tools to improve Zika preparedness, and an opportunity for them to develop effective response plans for their jurisdictions.

Persons who are planning travel should visit CDC’s Travelers’ Health site for the most up-to-date travel information. Areas with active Zika virus transmission are likely to change over time and might include locations not yet listed. CDC has published interim guidelines and additional updates on Zika virus disease and says it will continue sharing information as more is learned. Additional publications and resources are available on the MMWR “Vital Signs: Preparing for Local Mosquito-Borne Transmission of Zika Virus — United States, 2016” page.

The Atlantic

The April 19 “Zika Is a Delayed Epidemic: What it means when an outbreak’s worst effects occur in the long-term” article in The Atlantic magazine tackles the implications of the current mutations and long-term effects of the illness that has been considered relatively mild to this point.

With no vaccine on the near-term horizon (Espinal [Marcos Espinal, director of communicable diseases for the Pan-American Health Organization, the WHO’s regional office for the Americas] says one is slated to go to clinical trial in September), the only real option to get out in front of the outbreak is mosquito control, which is difficult.

“It means going house to house, getting rid of all the standing water in containers, doing garbage collection, getting rid of all the discarded tires and things, putting in window screens and going into homes and doing the insecticidal spray,” Hotez [Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine] says. “It’s not fun work; it’s hard work, and in the past when it’s been successful, it’s required pretty intrusive military-style campaigns.” In Brazil, the actual military is involved in mosquito-control efforts, Espinal says.

This immediate control is needed to minimize the impact of Zika’s delayed effects. We’re still in the thick of this outbreak, and it’s impossible to know exactly how far its tendrils will reach, what the consequences will be, or even what the full range of possible consequences are, given that new associations seem to keep popping up.

WHO

The article above also cites a paper published in February by the World Health Organization (WHO), “Zika: the origin and spread of a mosquito-borne virus“, that analyzes the changing nature of the Zika virus, concluding:

Human Zika virus infection appears to have changed in character while expanding its geographical range. The change is from an endemic, mosquito-borne infection causing mild illness across equatorial Africa and Asia, to an infection causing, from 2007 onwards, large outbreaks, and from 2013 onwards, outbreaks linked with neurological disorders.

The WHO has also updated its Zika virus fact sheet.