Research Predicts High Zika Transmission Risk in Mississippi Delta

In an online article of the American Journal of Public Health, Saint Louis University researchers studied 3,108 counties in the US and determined 507 “high risk” areas for Zika transmission. While the researchers puts the bulls-eye of Zika transmission on the Mississippi Delta, they are also concerned about places with high rates of sexually transmitted diseases (e.g. gonorrhea and chlamydia), like the city of St. Louis and St. Clair County Illinois.

“We need significant planning and prevention in areas and populations most likely to experience the highest burdens from Zika infection. Timely strategies to communicate risk, control mosquito populations, and prevent disease transmission are imperative to preventing a large-scale Zika epidemic in the United States,” said Enbal Shacham, Ph.D., M.Ed., associate professor of behavioral sciences and health education at Saint Louis University and the lead author of the study.

Maculopapular rash can be a telltale sign of Zika. One form of maculopapular rash is a flat, pink and red rash on the skin covered with small bumps. Another form is numerous smooth rashes. It often starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. The rash can diffuse over the head, neck, trunk, and extremities, including the palms and soles.

To see images of Zika rash and get more information about symptoms and treatment of Zika virus, read more here.

Ask a dermatologist today if you have concerns about your skin