Zika Virus

ABOUT ZIKA VIRUS

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared Zika virus a Public Health Emergency of International Concern February 1, 2016. The Georgia Department of Public Health and Cobb & Douglas Public Health cautions travelers, especially women who are pregnant, to protect themselves against mosquito bites when heading to countries where Zika virus transmission is ongoing.

WHAT IS IT?

Zika is a viral disease that is transmitted to people by mosquitoes. It is transmitted primarily by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which also spreads dengue and chikungunya. Mosquitoes become infected when they bite a person already infected with the virus. Zika virus can be spread during sex by a partner infected with Zika to their partners. Outbreaks have occurred in countries in Africa, Asia, South America, Latin America and the Caribbean. Zika virus usually remains in the blood of an infected person for about a week.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

• Fever
• Rash
• Joint Pain
• Conjunctivitis/Pink Eye

Only one in five people infected with the Zika virus will develop symptoms. Symptoms generally begin 2 to 7 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.

HOW IS ZIKA VIRUS SPREAD?

Zika virus is transmitted to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito which can be found in Georgia. The mosquitoes bite mostly during the daytime, they do not fly very far, and tend to live around homes. The mosquitoes breed in containers so removing them or dumping out standing water at least once a week, or using larvicides such as mosquito dunks or mosquito torpedoes in water that cannot be dumped out, will reduce the number of these mosquitoes. Zika virus can be spread during sex by a man infected with Zika to his partners.

Zika Fact Sheet
Zika Fact Sheet (Espanol)

For more information about Zika virus for specific groups, please click on the links below.

Zika testing guidance for physicians and laboratories:

• Guidance for Physicians
• If you have questions about testing or Zika virus infection, please contact the Epidemiology Program at Georgia Department of Public Health at 404-657-2588 or Cobb & Douglas Public Health Epidemiology at 770-514-2432.

Zika guidance for pregnant women:

• There are urgent concerns about Zika virus infection and pregnant women. Zika virus infections have been confirmed in infants with microcephaly and in the current outbreak in Brazil, a marked increase in the number of infants born with microcephaly has been reported. Pregnant women or women trying to get pregnant should not travel to areas where Zika virus transmission is ongoing.
• http://www.cdc.gov/zika/pregnancy/index.html
• Until more is known, pregnant women with male sex partners who have lived in or traveled to an area with Zika virus should either use condoms the right way, every time, for vaginal, anal, or oral (mouth-to-penis) sex or not have sex during the pregnancy.
• If a pregnant woman is concerned that her male partner may have or had Zika virus infection, she should talk to her healthcare provider. She should tell her healthcare provider about her male partner’s travel history, including how long he stayed, whether or not he took steps to prevent getting mosquito bites, and if she had sex with him without a condom since his return.
• Women trying to get pregnant and their male partners should talk to their healthcare provider before traveling to areas with Zika. Because sexual transmission is possible, both men and women should strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites during the trip.

Zika guidance for non-pregnant individuals, including travelers and property owners:

Travelers: Currently, there is no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat Zika. Travelers should check CDC travel advisories for their destinations and take precautions to protect themselves from mosquitoes:

• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants
• Use EPA-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), or IR3535 (use as directed)
• Use permethrin-treated clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks, and tents)
• Stay and sleep in screened-in or air-conditioned room
• Upon returning to the U.S., be especially vigilant to guard against mosquito bites, as Zika virus can be passed from an infected person to another mosquito through mosquito bites. An infected mosquito can then transmit the virus to other people and lead to local transmission.
• Please visit http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/zika-travel-information for th