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The first confirmed case of the Zika virus in Mississippi was announced Friday.
Zika virus is primarily transmitted through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Evidence is now suggesting an association between Zika virus infection in pregnancy and an increased risk of microcephaly and other abnormalities.
Evidence also suggests that sexual transmission of Zika virus is possible and is of particular concern during pregnancy.
Zika is a mosquito-borne virus that may cause devastating birth defects if contracted during pregnancy. Zika virus infection can cause a mild illness with symptoms (fever, joint pain, conjunctivitis or rash) lasting for several days to a week, but 80 percent of those infected show no symptoms at all. Death is very rare.
Zika has been seen in parts of Africa, Southeast Asia, and some Pacific islands for years, but has recently been reported in approximately 30 countries, mostly in the Caribbean, Central, and South America. The Zika virus is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. The breed of mosquito that is spreading Zika – Aedes Aegypti – has not been detected in Mississippi since the mid-eighties. The MSDH is currently conducting surveillance on all mosquito populations in the state.
