The Zika Virus

The second leg of our trip is to the beautiful, warm, tropical, Central American county of Panama. With that comes it's challenges, mostly mosquito bite transmitted diseases and also the combination of high humidity, high temperatures, and black suits... smellllllllly. Many of these diseases have been around for longer than the states have been united. Malaria, Typhoid, Yellow Fever, Dengue Fever, Chikungunya, and of course the one most recently in the news, the ZIKA VIRUS! Our program director, thankfully, had the local health department and a physician in to talk to us about the zika virus, prevention, and concerns. I'm a bit disappointed; I was prepared to tackle this topic with the class complete with flip charts and diagrams but they brought free condoms soo... I guess they win. Thought I would share a few things that we learned about it.

Zika virus is spread mostly through mosquito bites but can also be spread through sexual contact. There is currently no vaccine or treatment for the virus. Most people who contract the virus show no physical signs of it but if you do you may have a fever, joint pain, and red eyes; mostly you feel like crap. The virus typically runs though your system in a week to ten days. If in good health, you will get over it and be just fine.

The big concern is that women who are pregnant or may become  pregnant and contract the zika virus have a higher risk of having a child with birth defects, specifically microcephaly. Microcephaly causes babies to be born with regular body size and face size but small backs of heads and under developed brains. If you are in the Baby Making part of your life pay attention!

• DO NOT travel to infected areas if you are prego. 
• DO NOT get prego for at least two weeks after being in an infected area. 
• DO NOT get your wife, girlfriend, significant other, or random girl prego for at least one month after traveling to an infected area.
• DO NOT get bitten by a mosquito when you get back home... you could bring this virus to the mother land. 

Let me explain. The virus stays in your blood for about two weeks after being infected. You may not know you have been infected as most people are asymptomatic. The virus stays in semen for longer than in blood, but it is unknown how long. The health department suggested first talking to your own physician. There is very little research on this virus and much is unknown. Over the next few months more and more will be discovered.

Upon return, you will only be tested for zika if you present two of the four symptoms plus travel to an infected area. Test results can take a long time to get back, 5 weeks and counting. The health department is really no help in that area.

If you don't have a concern of getting prego or care about giving a virus to your significant other then, by all means, have a pleasant welcome home party in the sack. I'm talking to you Sharkey.