What is the Zika Virus? in Lexington, KY

The latest virus to make news headlines is the spread of the Zika Virus disease to the United States. Whether you have recently traveled to an area that is commonly infected with the Zika virus or you would like to take precautionary measures around your own home, learning more about the disease can help you understand more about how it spreads and how to prevent it from affecting you or your loved ones. Considering the virus is contracted through infected mosquitos, deterrence must first take place from outside of your home. The professional staff of IPM Pest and Termite can help you learn more about pest control in Lexington KY and how to prevent the Zika virus.

The Zika virus disease can be tricky to not only detect but to prevent contracting as well. Spread by the infected bite of an Aedes species mosquito, this disease is unique to this particular insect. Once infected, symptoms are typically mild in severity, making it a very difficult virus to detect. Common indicators of infection include running a fever, joint pain throughout the body, red and swollen eyes, and a persistent rash. Although the Zika virus causes some minor discomfort, it is usually not severe enough for someone to seek medical treatment, making most cases of the disease undetected. Even though symptoms seems harmless, for a woman who may be pregnant, the Zika virus can be detrimental, as it has been known to causes the rare birth defect, microcephaly. It is highly important for pregnant women to avoid any contact with infected mosquitos during the duration of their pregnancy. Once a person has been infected with the Zika virus, they cannot be infected again, potentially protecting the body from future infected bites.

Unfortunately there is no vaccine that exists for the Zika virus at this time. The best method of prevention for contracting the virus is by simply avoiding overseas travel to an area where infected mosquitos are present or to evade mosquito bites in general, even around your own home. For the Aedes species of mosquito that carry the Zika virus, biting and feeding during daylight hours is preferable, making them attack more aggressively during the day. Even though the infected mosquitoes typically bite during the day, they will still continue biting at night and precautions should still be in place while sleeping. Mosquitos can usually be found around stale or stagnant water where they lay their eggs, making any type of container around your home such as an empty flower pot, a bucket, or even your pets drinking bowl a possible target. Since biting an already infected person infects mosquitoes, who then continue to bite other people as well, the disease can spread rapidly if mosquito prevention isn’t in place.

The best prevention for the Zika virus is to avoid contact with mosquitoes, especially if overseas where the virus originates. If you’re worried that mosquitoes around your home may be infected or would simply like to take precautions, there are very simple and affordable ways to do so.