By: Jennifer Aufill

Today, B’More Health Talks aired another podcast on the topic of the Zika virus and its potential impact on Baltimore City. Dr. Wen joined experts in the fields of environmental health, population health, pediatrics, obstetrics and ecosystem studies to address recent developments of the Zika virus and how experts are viewing its progression. Guests discussed the facts about Zika and suggested ways everyone can help to prevent its spread.

Today’s guests included the following experts:

• Dr. Howard Haft, Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene;
• Dr. Rob Atlas, Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mercy Medical Center; 
• Heather Goodman, Associate Research Specialist, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies;
• Dr. Richard Katz, Chief Medical Officer, Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital;
• Dr. Jinlene Chan, Health Officer, Anne Arundel County Department of Health;
• Dawn O’Neill, Deputy Commissioner for Population Health and Disease Prevention, Baltimore City Health Department; and
• Mary Beth Haller, Assistant Commissioner, Bureau of Environmental Health, Baltimore City Health Department

As of July 6, there have been 1,133 reported cases of Zika in the United States; all of these were travel-associated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is important to note that no locally-transmitted cases have been reported in Baltimore or anywhere in the continental United States. However, preventing mosquito bites and keeping mosquitos out of the home can help keep the city safe during the summer season. Baltimore residents should all be on the lookout for potential backyard breeding sites for mosquitos, specifically areas with standing water. To prevent potential breeding sites, keep buckets, coolers, and roof gutters empty of water; remove old tires; cover trash bins; and treat birdbaths and outdoor ponds with larvicide. Residents can also mosquito-proof homes by keeping screens on all windows, shutting doors and windows without screens, and using air conditioning when possible.

Zika is a virus primarily transmitted by mosquitoes in the Aedes family. The species Aedes aegypti is the primary vector for the virus; it can live in Baltimore, but is rarely detected. The Aedes albopictus is more prominent in the area during mosquito season, but is not as good at carrying the virus. Aedes mosquitoes are container breeders, meaning they only need about the amount of water in a bottle cap to breed. For that reason, it’s extremely important for Baltimore residents to remove any standing water around their homes.

The Zika virus can also be spread from an infected man to his sex partner and from a pregnant woman to her baby. The primary reason Zika has escalated to a global public health emergency is concern over the birth defects in unborn babies, including microcephaly, when a baby is born with a smaller head and suffers from severe brain damage. Experts at the B’More Health Talks emphasized that while there is no vaccine or cure, there are many preventative steps that residents can take to be safe.

One common misconception is that Zika shows symptoms in all adults. However, only 1 in 5 adults infected with Zika will show symptoms, and those who are infected will recover quickly with rest. Unfortunately, the effects on unborn children can lead to irreversible brain damage and a lifetime of medical complications.

The CDC recommends that individuals travelling to countries with Zika take certain preventative measures. Because Baltimore has the mosquitos that can potentially transmit Zika, there is the possibility that the mosquitos here can spread Zika locally. Local transmission will occur if a traveler to an area with Zika is bitten by a mosquito there, and then when he or she returns to Baltimore, is bitten by a mosquito here. That mosquito can become infected with the virus and spread it to all Baltimore residents. While in countries with Zika, travelers should wear light weight, long sleeved, loose fitting shirts and pants, treat their clothing with the insecticide Permethrin, and spray EPA-approved insect repellent on exposed skin. Upon their return to the United States, travelers should wear insect repellent for the next three weeks to prevent the mosquitoes here from biting them.

To limit the spread of Zika through sexual transmission, travelers should use condoms or abstain from sex the entire time they are in a country with Zika, for 8 weeks after they or their partner return home if asymptomatic, or for 6 months if the male partner has symptoms or is diagnosed with Zika. Travelers should also use condoms or abstain from sex for the remainder of the pregnancy if the male’s partner is pregnant. Lastly, travelers and especially pregnant women should always consult with their primary care provider or OB/GYN for advice.

Many of these preventative measures are precautionary and responsible responses to a risk we can actively address. For more information, you can listen to the entire B’More Health Talks podcast online. You can also listen to all of our past Bmore Health Talks on our Soundcloud.