Page 16 - Desert Lightning News 6-3-16

16 June 3, 2016
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Q & A with AFSOUTH Command Surgeon: Zika VirusFacebook.com/DesertLightningNews
12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) Public A airs
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- With the Zika virus
making headlines since it was confirmed throughout the Western Hemi-
sphere, the Air Forces Southern Command Surgeon offered to answer
common questions about the virus.
U.S. Air Force Colonel Leslie A. Knight is the Command Surgeon for
12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. As
the medical advisor to the 12th Air Force Commander, she is responsible
for all aspects of component health service support in the AFSOUTH area
of responsibility, consisting of 31 countries in Central America, the Ca-
ribbean, Andean Ridge and Southern Cone, to include the development
and implementation of medical plans, programs, and policies in support of
the 12th AF (AFSOUTH) operations. Col. Knight also directs real world
contingency and peacetime medical operations including exercise, deploy-
ments, logistics, preventive medicine, force protection, and engagement
activities to meet component and combatant command objectives.
Q: What is the Zika virus?
A: e Zika virus is not a new virus but this is the first time it has been
confirmed within the Western Hemisphere. e Zika virus is part of the
Flavivirus family which includes other viruses like West Nile, dengue, en-
cephalitis, chikungunya, and yellow fever. is virus has been endemic in
Africa and Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands for years, so it is only new
to the Western Hemisphere.
It is spread by a mosquito, more commonly by the aedes aegypti and the
aedes albopictus mosquito breeds. e most important thing to remem-
ber about those mosquitos is they are aggressive day time biters.
e only way to contract the Zika virus is to travel to an area where it
is endemic or where it’s being transmitted right now. Currently, the Zika
virus is not being transmitted within the United States. ere have been
people who have returned to the U.S. who have contracted the virus in
South America, but they did not catch it here.
Q: What can people do to reduce the risk of contracting Zika?
A: You prevent contracting the Zika virus the same way you prevent
mosquito bites. Deployers need to make sure they treat their uniforms and
clothing with the permethrin kits we give them. Wear long sleeves and
long pants during the day, and make sure you are wearing DEET mosquito
replant.
Q: Is insect repellent safe for pregnant women and small children?
A: Mosquito replant is safe for children two months old and above as
well as pregnant women as long as it is FDA approved.
Q: If bitten by a mosquito how do recognize the symptoms?
A: Unfortunately the symptoms of the Zika virus are similar to many of
the other viruses in the Flavivirus family. Symptoms that should concern
you are headaches, muscle aches, joint pain, conjunctivitis, and rashes. If
you end up with two or more of those symptoms and have been in an area
where the Zika virus exists, you should see your doctor. Interestingly, 80%
of people who contract the Zika virus never show any symptoms at all.
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Q: Does the Zika virus kill?
A: Most people will contract the virus and never know it. Very few
people will be hospitalized and almost no one dies from it.
Q: Is there a vaccine for Zika?
A: Currently there is no vaccine for Zika. However, the Centers for Dis-
ease Control and Prevention is discussing working on one.
Q: What is the treatment for Zika?
A: Treatment includes rest, fluids, and over the counter medications for
fever and muscle aches.
Q: Can it be transmitted to others? Can it be transmitted via bodily
fluids?
A1: Right now we do not have the answer to that.
A2: ere is a case study about a man who in 2008 contracted the virus
in Senegal [Africa], he went home and his wife then contracted the virus.
She had not been traveling to any places where the virus was prevalent, so
they are concerned he spread that to her, possibly through sexual transmis-
sion. ere have also been animal studies that show that it may be sexually
transmitted. Right now that is an unproven hypothesis and there are no
cases in our hemisphere that we know of where Zika has been transmitted
from one human to another.
Q: If I am pregnant and catch the virus, how does the virus affect the
fetus?
A: Pregnant women who contract the virus do not become any sicker
than women who are not pregnant. However, specifically in Brazil, they
are concerned they are seeing a link between babies who are born to wom-
en who have contracted the Zika virus and microcephaly. Microcephaly is
condition where the brain doesn’t develop properly in the uterus and the
baby’s head is smaller than normal when born.
Q: Should pregnant females avoid travel to a country with Zika?
A: Currently the CDC is recommending that women (who are pregnant
or are planning on becoming pregnant) who don’t need to travel to Central
and South America don’t do it. If travel to areas where Zika is prevalent
is unavoidable or if a women is already there and becomes pregnant and
starts seeing symptoms, then she should see her physician who is provid-
ing her maternity care. e current recommendations are that she has an
ultrasound to examine the baby and see if there are any problems.
Q: What are your recommendations for deployers in Central and
South America?
A: We already advise our deployers on mosquito precautions because
there are mosquito borne diseases throughout the U.S. Southern Com-
mand’s area of responsibility. Specifically we worry about dengue, chikun-
gunya, and yellow fever. So we ask our deployers to pretreat their uniforms
and deploy them with a good supply of DEET. If they should show any
symptoms of any of the mosquito borne viruses [are headaches, muscle
aches, joint pain, conjunctivitis, and rashes] they should go see their pro-
vider and discus whether or not they should be tested for the Zika virus.
If you think you have contracted the Zika virus or any other mosquito
borne viruses, you should see your medical provider.