New Threat of Disease From Mosquitos

New Threat of Disease From Mosquitos

This past summer and autumn officials were concerned about mosquitos spreading dengue fever and chikungunya, but now they have added another disease to the list. Citizens are now warned against catching the Zika virus from mosquitos. So far no one has contracted it in the U.S., but people have returned from abroad having caught the disease. Officials say that it is simply a matter of time before we see this devastating disease affect Americans as well. The disease already spread to Mexico and Puerto Rico this past fall. We are definitely in its flight path.

Zika is mostly feared because of its probably link to birth defects in thousands of infants of parents who caught it. Officials in Brazil believe that it is linked to 3,170 cases of microcephaly in infants. This neurological disorder causes smaller than normal head size and is linked with impaired brain development. At the moment officials are trying to get the current mosquito problem under control before this new disease hits American soil.

Have you heard of the Zika virus? Are you worried about possibly contracting it?