State, local health departments partner with March of Dimes to prevent spread of Zika

HOUSTON – The March of Dimes has partnered with state and local health departments to help prevent the spread of Zika virus.

While there are still a lot of unknown factors about the virus, there are some critical points the Department of State Health Services wants travelers to know.

"Travelers returning to the U.S. from an area with active Zika transmission should take steps to prevent mosquito bites for three weeks," said Paul Grunenwald, communicable disease manager with the department.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest pregnant women use insect repellent, even if it contain DEET or Picaridin.

"It is safe for pregnant women, and use it if that works for you," said Heather Butscher, March of Dimes maternal and child health director. "Anything you can do right now to prevent mosquito bites is very important. Even if you're not pregnant, we're trying to prevent the transmission."

When it comes to protecting your family from transmission, Grunenwald said to abstain from sex for eight weeks after traveling to an affected country, and even longer if your partner is pregnant.

"Why do we even have to have these discussions about whether or not the child is going to have side effects? Let's just wait six months," he said. "Use a condom."

Even with only one sexually transmitted case of Zika in Texas, experts think the virus can be spread by sperm, so pregnant women are at risk of birth defects from infected partners as well as from mosquitoes.

"A child born with a birth defect is going to have long-term health and developmental delays. The March of Dimes tries to support those families with education, preparing them for what to expect while they're in the NICU," Butscher said.

There are currently 46 patients with Zika in Texas. One of the cases was sexually transmitted and the other 45 were contracted while traveling outside of the country.