by Morgan Montalvo
1200 WOAI News
Physicians in Texas are preparing for the possibility of large numbers of congenital disease among newborns this summer, News Radio 1200 WOAI News reports.
The primary infectious diseases getting attention from health experts this year are Zika, cytomegalovirus or CMV, HIV and syphilis, Dr. Catherine Epps tells News Radio 1200 WOAI.
Epps says rainfall a few weeks ago, followed by excessive heat, and large numbers of people traveling, are conditions favorable to the spread of Zika, and make difficult the predicting of congenital infection rates..
"What this summer will look like, it remains to be seen," she says.
Epps says while the dangers of Zika, HIV and syphilis are well publicized, fewer people have heard of CMV, a herpes-related virus that can lead to serious birth defects.
"Both for Zika and for CMV unfortunately there aren't current therapeutic options," she says. "There's a lot of science investigating both of those, and so hopefully in the coming years there may be a vaccine and maybe even treatment.
"But as it stands right now, it's purely preventative," Epps says.
She says women planning a pregnancy or already pregnant need to avoid: mosquito bites; travel to area where Zika is present, such as South Texas; unprotected sex with anyone who has traveled to areas where Zika is reported. Those areas include South Texas, Mexico, and much of Latin America.
CMV, Epps says is not considered a priority or "reportable" disease because of its low reported numbers, but the virus can lead to Zika-like birth defects, including loss, microcephaly, and brain abnormalities.
Many CMV-infected mothers she says, are asymptomatic.
Preventative measure for CMV include frequent hand washing, extra care when in health care settings, not sharing food with others while pregnant, and use of condoms.About 4,000 cases of CMV are reported annually in Texas, says Epps.