Since the breakout of the Zika virus, everyone has been wondering how safe they are and what they can do to protect themselves. This is especially important for pregnant women, since Zika is known to cause birth defects. The Zika virus is carried and spread by the Aedes mosquito. While no cases have been reported as originating from the Aedes mosquito in the United States, there have been over 1,000 travel based cases. It is likely that this number is even larger, since many people who are infected with Zika don’t show any symptoms and therefore are not tested. According to the CDC, all states except Alaska, Idaho, Wyoming, and South Dakota have reported at least one case of Zika.

Even though no mosquito-borne cases have originated in the U.S., it is important to be careful if you or your sexual partner have traveled outside of the U.S. The virus can be sexually transmitted from male to female and while it is not yet known how long it stays in semen after the original infection, it does stay in the semen longer than it stays in the blood. It is also unknown whether females can transmit the virus to males. The safest way to avoid sexual transmission of Zika is to abstain from having sex with anyone who has visited a Zika infected area. Correctly using condoms can also help prevent transmission of Zika. Currently, the CDC recommends following these guidelines for 6 months after returning from an area with the Aedes mosquito.

In order to avoid contracting Zika from the Aedes mosquito, adhere to the following guidelines:

1. Use an EPA registered bug spray to repel mosquitos. Look for repellents with the following active ingredients: DEET, Picaridin, Oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535. Be sure to follow application instructions and if also using sunscreen, apply the bug spray after the sunscreen.

2. Avoid travel to Zika infected areas, especially if you are pregnant or are trying to conceive. If you do travel to a region that has the Aedes mosquito, continue to use an EPA registered bug spray for at least 3 weeks after you return to the U.S. to avoid spreading the virus in the U.S.

3. Wear long pants and shirts as a physical barrier to the mosquitos.

4. Stay in air conditioned areas or use screens to keep the mosquitos outdoors.

5. Remove any standing water on your property. Mosquitos breed in standing water.

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