Experts reported that after crossing from Latin America, Zika virus has now reached Texas. It is a mosquito-borne infection believed to result into microcephaly in little ones delivered by infected mothers.

Investigations by Harris County, Texas, health officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have confirmed the Zika case in a traveler recently returned from El Salvador. The case will probably result in major fresh surveillance and vector-control initiatives.

While speaking to Medscape Medical News, president of the Sabin Vaccine Institute, and Texas Children's Hospital Endowed Chair of Tropical Pediatrics, Houston, Peter Hotez said, “There is a perfect storm brewing for Zika virus in the US. I was never worried that Ebola would take off here, but I am worried about Zika. We have 2 species of Aedes mosquitoes that can transmit Zika in our area”.

Dr. Hotez said that due to high levels of prevailing poverty, people live without window screens, near discarded tires and other water-catching containers where the mosquitoes generally breed.

Dr Hotez added that Zika infection generally produces nonspecific, influenza-like symptoms in pregnant women, with the linked birth defects becoming visible after nine months only.

Dr Hotez mentioned that by that time it gets too late. He added that the first case of Zika infection in Harris County is a warning, a wake-up call, indicating that they must immediately start implementation of programs of active surveillance.

Furthermore he said that during the spring and summer months, if we get cases in people who have never been abroad, than they would be required to implement aggressive strict mosquito control measures and health advisories for people to put into practice personal protection measures.

The precautionary measures would include covering or emptying any water-containing object or container like flower pots, bird baths, tires, buckets, etc.