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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Research from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that southern mosquitoes could travel to Iowa this summer, but state experts don't expect them to be a major carrier of the Zika virus.
The Des Moines Register (http://dmreg.co/1WXHBCb ) reported that recently released maps from the federal agency show Iowa in the range of one of two mosquito species believed to carry the virus, which can cause severe birth defects. The maps show the Aedes aegypti species petering out in Missouri, but the Aedes albopictus mosquito could extend through Iowa and into southern Minnesota.
Iowa State University entomology professor Ryan Smith said that he suspects he's partly responsible for the inclusion of Iowa in the map. In a CDC survey, he said that the albopictus had been spotted in Iowa.
"But it's only been a handful in the last 15 years or so," he said.
The albopictus are believed to be much less likely to carry the virus, said Patricia Quinlisk, Iowa Department of Public Health's medical director. She doesn't expect to see a major threat of transmission from mosquitoes in Iowa.
Smith and Quinlisk suggest that women who might be pregnant take travel precautions in places where Zika is spreading. Smith suggested not traveling to affected areas unless it's for work or an important event. Quinlisk said women should consider using insect repellent and bed nets.
So far this year, the state has confirmed four Zika cases, all of which were in people who travelled to the Caribbean.
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Information from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com
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