New Fears For Pregnant Women As U.S. Mosquitoes Transmit Zika Virus For First Time

TALLAHASSEE, FL — Mosquitoes in the United States have been found for the first time to have transmitted the Zika virus, bringing a fresh round of fears for women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, and a new level of challenge for health workers trying to protect against babies born with severe birth defects.

The Florida Department of Health confirmed that mosquitoes infected four people in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

For health workers, the discovery marks an onerous and even frightening new phase of trying to control the virus, which has infected thousands of people around the world, primarily in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The World Health Organization reports evidence of Zika virus in 67 countries.

“This is the news we’ve been dreading,” said Dr. Edward R.B. McCabe, senior vice president and chief medical officer of the March of Dimes, after Friday's news out of Florida broke. “It’s only a matter of time before babies are born with microcephaly, a severe brain defect, due to local transmission of Zika in the continental U.S."

Until Friday, the 1,400 or so cases identified in the U.S. had all been contracted while people were traveling out of the country or through sexual transmission. The CDC has confirmed a number of sexually transmitted Zika virus cases in the country. The 15th case, reported in New York earlier this month, was the first in which a woman transmitted the disease to a man. New York, like Florida, has also had a baby born with a Zika virus-related defect.

“Florida’s small case cluster is not considered widespread transmission,” the FDOH said Friday.

Zika virus is a mosquito-borne illness that is characterized by a fever, rash and joint pain. While the illness typically resolves within a week, some severe cases may require hospitalization.

The CDC has confirmed that the Zika virus is responsible for causing severe defects in unborn children, including microcephaly, which leaves babies with abnormally small heads and often with brains that do not develop properly.

New York's confirmed microcephaly case prompted a strong response from health officials there.

“While not surprising, given the travel trends of our global city, this case is a strong reminder of the tragic consequences of the Zika virus. We are monitoring the baby’s health closely and connecting the family with the necessary services to take care of their child,” New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett told a news conference. “I remind all pregnant women in New York City, and those trying to get pregnant, that they should delay travel to places where there is active Zika transmission. As we see today, the consequences for the child can be devastating.”

The Florida health department on Friday said it had gathered enough information in its investigation into the four possible non-travel related cases to “conclude that a high likelihood exists that four cases are the result of local transmission.”

See also:

• Florida Promises ‘Aggressive Mosquito Control Efforts’
• Zika Virus in Florida: March of Dimes Offers Advice, Warnings for Pregnant Women
• Congress Vacations While Zika Virus Spreads Locally in U.S.
• Florida Zika Virus Update: Non-Travel-Related Case Under Investigation
• 1st Baby Born With Zika Virus-Related Defect Born In Florida
• Zika Virus in Florida: What Pregnant Women Need to Know
• CDC Records First Female-to-Male Zika Virus Transmission

The FDOH also confirmed the recent birth of a baby with microcephaly in Florida. The baby’s mother, the state said, is a citizen of Haiti. She traveled to Florida to deliver the child.

Aside from mosquitoes, Zika can be spread through sexual contact in some cases, the CDC notes. One of the confirmed cases in Polk County originated through sexual contact, the state of Florida reported. The patient in the case contracted the virus while traveling outside of the country.

The CDC recommends women who are pregnant or are considering becoming pregnant postpone travel to areas where there is widespread Zika infection.

To help residents resolve questions about the virus and its spread, the state has set up a Zika Virus Information Hotline at 1-855-622-6735. The hotline has fielded more than 2,421 calls since it was launched Feb. 12, the state reported.

Florida has confirmed 386 travel-related cases of Zika virus to date, meaning those sickened contracted the virus while traveling outside of the state. More than 20 of those cases have involved residents in Tampa Bay area counties.

The CDC has offered the following tips to stay safe from Zika virus:

• Protect yourself from mosquito bites by wearing insect repellent or long sleeves when going outside.
• If you are pregnant, absolutely avoid travel to countries with active Zika transmission. You can view a list of those countries here (http://www.cdc.gov/zika/geo/active-countries.html)
• If you are traveling to any of those countries, take extra precaution to protect yourself from mosquitoes when overseas.
• Wear condoms during sex or avoid sex all together if your partner has traveled to a country with active Zika transmission.

More information about the Zika virus is also available on FDOH’s website.

Image via Shutterstock