March 8, 2016
By Josh Hafner
With the Zika virus (click here) spreading toward the United States, threatening pregnant mothers and the 2016 Olympics, aid workers have placed hope in a familiar fish.
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the Virginia-based non-profit Operation Blessing helped avert an outbreak of the West Nile virus in New Orleans by supplying abandoned swimming pools full of water – ideal breeding ground for disease-carrying mosquitos – with fish that feast on mosquito larva.
Now the group hopes to halt the spread of the Zika virus in Central America by breeding and distributing fish that can eat mosquitos’ larva before the insects mature and carry the disease, which has been linked to an epidemic of birth defects in Brazil and spread quickly throughout Latin America....
CDC (click here)
No vaccine exists to prevent Zika virus disease (Zika).
Prevent Zika by avoiding mosquito bites (see below).
Mosquitoes that spread Zika virus bite mostly during the daytime.
Mosquitoes that spread Zika virus also spread dengue and chikungunya viruses.
Prevent sexual transmission of Zika by using condoms or not having sex
When traveling to countries where Zika virus (click here) or other viruses spread by mosquitoes are found, take the following steps:
Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
Stay in places with air conditioning or that use window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside
Sleep under a mosquito bed net if you are overseas or outside and are not able to protect yourself from mosquito bites....
Travel within the USA is a large part of vacation time for Americans. They need to consider their chance of mosquito problems before they head out, especially in RVs. Camping in tents have to be accompanied with mosquito nets. It is a good measure anyway. Campers should be using mosquito nets regardless of any virus. No one should consider mosquito bites simply a part of life at the campsite.
By Josh Hafner
With the Zika virus (click here) spreading toward the United States, threatening pregnant mothers and the 2016 Olympics, aid workers have placed hope in a familiar fish.
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the Virginia-based non-profit Operation Blessing helped avert an outbreak of the West Nile virus in New Orleans by supplying abandoned swimming pools full of water – ideal breeding ground for disease-carrying mosquitos – with fish that feast on mosquito larva.
Now the group hopes to halt the spread of the Zika virus in Central America by breeding and distributing fish that can eat mosquitos’ larva before the insects mature and carry the disease, which has been linked to an epidemic of birth defects in Brazil and spread quickly throughout Latin America....
CDC (click here)
No vaccine exists to prevent Zika virus disease (Zika).
Prevent Zika by avoiding mosquito bites (see below).
Mosquitoes that spread Zika virus bite mostly during the daytime.
Mosquitoes that spread Zika virus also spread dengue and chikungunya viruses.
Prevent sexual transmission of Zika by using condoms or not having sex
When traveling to countries where Zika virus (click here) or other viruses spread by mosquitoes are found, take the following steps:
Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
Stay in places with air conditioning or that use window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside
Sleep under a mosquito bed net if you are overseas or outside and are not able to protect yourself from mosquito bites....
Travel within the USA is a large part of vacation time for Americans. They need to consider their chance of mosquito problems before they head out, especially in RVs. Camping in tents have to be accompanied with mosquito nets. It is a good measure anyway. Campers should be using mosquito nets regardless of any virus. No one should consider mosquito bites simply a part of life at the campsite.
