BROWNSVILLE — Fliers are being distributed in Brownsville neighborhoods titled “What You Need To Know About Zika.”
The flier mentions the risk to a mother’s pregnancy and what the symptoms are. It also provides helpful tips for getting rid of mosquitoes and preventing bites.
This is one way the Brownsville Public Health Department is gearing up for mosquito season, county health administrator Esmeralda Guajardo said.
Education is a critical component in controlling the spread of the virus, Cameron County Health Authority Dr. James Castillo said.
“Right now, there are no local cases, but … a little bit of education up front will help prevent the easy transmission of the virus, and I think will save a lot of people in the future,” Castillo said.
Already, about 18 expectant mothers from the Rio Grande Valley have sought treatment at Driscoll Children’s Hospital in Corpus Christi, according to KRIS-TV.
The hospital could not confirm that information.
Dr. Ryan Loftin, director of maternal fetal medicine services for the Driscoll Health System, mentioned the possibility of expanding health services to the Valley specifically because of Zika. A taskforce is putting together some recommendations.
“Our intent is to see Brownsville patients and to provide support to the doctors on the ground there, and not come in and take over,” Loftin said. “We are working to find a way to work with the local doctors to make sure we have a system set up so that if we find women exposed in pregnancy, we can provide resources on the ground to make sure these kids don’t get lost.”
Approximately 10 to 15 percent of pregnant women infected with Zika give birth to a child with congenital Zika syndrome, the term used to describe the pattern of birth defects associated with the virus, Castillo said.
However, even for the 85 to 90 percent who come out healthy, there needs to be a follow-up, Loftin said.
“There’s a recommended followup that’s fairly intense. It’s every month or two for the first year of life, to make sure they are not showing signs of deafness or blindness, or falling off the curve of growth,” Loftin said. “We’ve seen babies (in other countries) that are born normal, but then two months later they look like Zika babies.”
While it is not nearly as easily transmitted as the flu, Zika is the first mosquito-borne virus that can be sexually transmitted. Only 20 percent of people that contract the disease show symptoms, Loftin said.
Research also shows that Zika can stay in the placenta for an extended period of time, even being present at delivery.
“That’s unusual. Most viruses, even the ones that cause problems at pregnancy, are cleared. This virus seems to have ongoing replication, and that’s scarier because it’s a perpetual exposure to the developing baby, which is why we’re unable to say there is a safe point in pregnancy,” Loftin said.
Brownsville was designated as a Zika cautionary (yellow) area in December.
The vast majority of pregnant women with Zika will still deliver in Brownsville, unless the child has a birth defect that would require a higher level of care, Loftin said.
Valley Baptist Medical Center in Brownsville started offered educational presentations to its staff when Zika was first identified as a concern, said Teri McCabe Retana, market director of marketing for the Valley Baptist Health System.
“Valley Baptist is equipped to care for patients with Zika or a history of Zika, and to care for newborns with congenital issues. Should congenital or other conditions be severe, other subspecialty providers may also be utilized,” Retana said. “With Zika, as with other public health issues, it is important for health care facilities and agencies to work together for the best possible outcomes.”
Valley Regional Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Art Garza expressed a similar sentiment. Physicians and clinical and nonclinical health care workers are educated on the virus.
“All employees are trained to use standard precautions to avoid exposure to the Zika virus. VRMC hosted an information session with the Cameron County Health Department and a group of OB/GYNs, neonatologists and pediatricians on Zika in pregnant women,” Garza said. “Our highly-qualified neonatologists and neurologists are well-trained and able to provide the necessary care for Zika positive patients.”
As of May 5, Texas has reported 12 Zika cases in 2017 and 323 cases in 2015 and 2016, according to texaszika.org.
According to the county, 39 individuals tested positive for Zika. Six of those cases were traced back to the local mosquito population.
“There is still no treatment available, but that is our goal. It’s very similar to what happened with rubella. The reason everyone gets that shot is because it caused similar birth defects,” Loftin said. “We need to get to a point where we can vaccinate and prevent, and until then we have to keep preventing exposure.”
