Don’t let your home be a breeding site for mosquitoes
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Mosquitoes need to feed in order to reproduce. Don't be dinner. Avoid being bitten.
Don’t hesitate! If you believe that you were bitten by an infected mosquito, and feel ill, take action.
against the Caribbean's deadliest creature.
Follow us for tips on how to reduce the mosquito population
To stop the spread of mosquito-borne diseases, prevent them from breeding
Keep water drums, barrels and tanks tightly covered or sealed.
Cut or shred unused tyres so that they don’t accumulate water. If tyres are to be used as swings or for holding plants, drill holes to drain water.
Turn over, cover, or throw out containers that can collect water.
Once a week, empty and scrub vases.
Once a week, empty and scrub saucers.
Clean your guttering of leaves and debris so that water flows through freely.
Empty, scrub and store/put away kiddie pools when not in use. Ensure that pools are maintained regularly.
Avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. This will reduce your exposure to mosquito-borne diseases including Dengue, Chikungunya and Zika.
The growing mosquito population threatens all of us
80% of people who contract Zika won't show any signs or symptoms.
Be safe. Use mosquito repellant as indicated and wear long sleeved shirts and long pants to avoid being bitten.
Signs and symptoms of Zika are: fever, rash, headache, joint pain, conjunctivitis (red eyes) and muscle pain.
Early detection and treatment lessen the possibility of complications.
Go to your prenatal check-ups. Talk to your doctor and adopt safe sexual practices.
Diseases can spread from one country to another by an infected traveller.
It only takes one infected person to be bitten by a mosquito to further spread the disease.
It only takes one infected person to be bitten by a mosquito to further spread the disease. Consult your health care provider, if you are ill.
Testing is only done based on a person's clinical symptoms and/or in newly affected areas to confirm that the virus is present. Where local transmission has already been confirmed, there is no need for everyone to be tested. High risk persons, namely pregnant women, children under the age of 5 years, adults over 65 years, hospitalised patients and persons with co-morbidities (with chronic illnesses), will be tested.
One of the best methods of fighting against the spread of disease is to take personal responsibility; know whether you are infected and take appropriate measures to prevent the disease from progressing.
CARPHA does not accept samples directly from the public, nor does it draw a person's blood. Therefore, persons exhibiting symptoms of Zika such as fever, rash, red eyes, muscle pains and joint pains, should visit their health care provider. A blood sample is taken and the serum is sent to CARPHA. After testing, the result is sent to the health care provider of the person tested.
The Zika Testing Process
The 7-Day Sampling and Testing Window
Find out how you can protect yourself and your community from mosquito-borne diseases.
This is an infectious disease caused by the dengue virus, transmitted by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes, particularly the Aedes aegypti. There are 4 different dengue types - DENV 1, DENV 2, DENV 3, and DENV 4.
The main route of virus of transmission is through the bite of an infected mosquito of the genus Aedes.
The main symptoms of dengue include fever, severe headache, severe pain behind the eyes, joint pain, muscle and bone pain, rash, and mild bleeding for example, nose or gums bleed, easy bruising). Generally, younger children and those with their first dengue infection have a milder illness than older children and adults.
There is no specific medicine, vaccine or treatment for a dengue fever. Your doctor may advise rest and drinking plenty of liquids and will recommend appropriate medication for pain and fever. If your symptoms get worse (e.g., develop vomiting and severe abdominal pain) in the first 24 hours after the fever declines, your doctor may advise you to go immediately to the hospital for evaluation.
Dengue virus rarely causes death. However, the infection can progress into a more serious condition known as Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF). DHF can be fatal if unrecognized and not properly treated in a timely manner. It is caused by infection with the same viruses that cause dengue fever.
Chikungunya is a disease that is caused by a virus transmitted through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. It is a new disease in the Caribbean: the first cases were detected in St Martin in December 2013, and it has now spread throughout the region.
The chikungunya virus comes from Africa, where it was first identified in the country of Tanzania in the 1950s. Since then, it has spread to many other parts of the world where the Aedes mosquito lives. The name “chikungunya” comes from the Makonde language, and means “that which bends,” describing the bent-over appearance of people who experience joint pain.
There is lots of scientific proof that mosquitoes carry the Chikungunya virus and that being bitten by an infected mosquito is the only way to become infected. In theory, it might be possible to get Chikungunya through a blood transfusion from an infected person, but this would be extremely unlikely. You cannot get Chikungunya by eating chicken or other foods, by touching or sharing food with someone who has Chikungunya, or by being bitten by other insects.
People who are bitten by a mosquito carrying chikungunya may start to feel sick after 2 – 12 days. The first symptom is usually a high fever that starts suddenly. Severe joint pain in hands wrists, knees and ankles is also common. Other reported symptoms include joint swelling, headache, back pain, body aches, rash, nausea and vomiting. Rarely, you can become infected with chikungunya and not have symptoms at all. The symptoms of chikungunya usually go away within 7-10 days. However, one of the most serious aspects of the disease is that in a small proportion of people, joint pain can come and go for months or even years.
There is no specific medicine to treat chikungunya. Your doctor may advise rest and drinking plenty of liquids, and will recommend appropriate medication for pain. In some cases, recovery from chikungunya can take up to a year or even more, with persistent joint pain. For persistent joint pain, your doctor may recommend anti-inflammatory medicine to be taken long-term. There is no vaccine to protect against chikungunya at this time.
Some people are at risk of having more serious disease if they do get infected with chikungunya. These include older adults (over 45 years), people with arthritis, and people with underlying medical conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart disease. Deaths from chikungunya are very rare: people who have serious pre-existing health conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart disease are most at risk.
Both chikungunya and dengue can be transmitted by the same Aedes mosquito, but the two diseases are caused by different viruses. The diseases have similar symptoms, but there are some differences. With chikungunya, you are more likely to have joint pain, which can sometimes last for a long time. With dengue infection, fever tends to last longer, and dengue is more likely than chikungunya to lead to serious illness or death.
This is a disease caused by the Zika virus (ZIKV), transmitted by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes
This virus was first isolated in 1947 from rhesus monkey samples, in the Zika forest in Uganda. The virus was named after the region where it was first collected.
The main route of transmission is through the bite of the Aedes Aegypti mosquito. About 4 days (can be 3-12 days) after being bitten by an infected mosquito the patient can start to exhibit the first signs and symptoms.
Zika virus is a little known disease and its description is limited to a number of case reports and outbreak investigations reports. Zika virus infection may present with few or no symptoms. In general, disease symptoms are mild and short-lasting (2-7 days). Where present, they are similar to symptoms of dengue and chikungunya, and may include fever, joint and muscle pain, conjunctivitis (red eyes), retro-orbital pain, headache, weakness, rash, swelling of the lower limbs and to a lesser extent vomiting, diarrhoea or abdominal pain.
There is no specific medicine or treatment for Zika virus infection. Your doctor may advise rest and drinking plenty of liquids, and will recommend appropriate medication for pain and fever. There is no vaccine for Zika virus yet. Fortunately, Zika virus infection is self-limiting and resolves with supportive therapy. Complications are rare, and no deaths have been reported
While Zika symptoms are generally mild, there is now growing concern that Zika infection may have adverse effects on pregnant women and their babies. Although a clear link has not been established, pregnant women are advised to exercise extra precaution in avoiding mosquito bites during pregnancy.
Do everything you can to reduce mosquito breeding; keep mosquitoes out of your house; and prevent them from biting. The mosquitoes that carry the dengue virus are the same ones that carry chikungunya and zika. Spend 10 minutes once a week to check around the house and yard to eliminate water sources that can provide breeding sites for mosquitoes. You should also check for clogged gutters on roofs, and trim weeds and tall grasses. Avoid mosquito bites by using screens on windows, keeping windows and doors closed, sleeping under a bednet, wearing long sleeve clothing and pants, and by using insect repellent applied to exposed skin or clothing.
If you are infected, you should avoid being bitten by the Aedes mosquitoes during the first week of illness. Staying under a bednet, or remaining in a place with closed windows/door screens is recommended. Also, protect against mosquito bites by using insect repellent and wearing long sleeve clothing and pants.
The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is the single regional public health agency for the Caribbean. We provide strategic direction, in analysing, defining and responding to public health priorities of CARICOM. Here's what we've been doing to combat Zika and other mosquito-borne diseases in the Caribbean:
16-18 Jamaica Blvd., Federation Park, Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago
+1-868: 299-0820; 299-0895; 622-4261
info@carpha.org
© 2017 Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA)Funded by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)