Saturday, February 6, 2016

The Zika virus and intimate contact


The Aedes aegypti mosquito transmits Zika virus

The Photo: An Aedes aegypti mosquito feeding. Photo by Muhammad Mahdi Karim (www.micro2macro.net) Facebook YouTube - Own work, GFDL 1.2, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11185617.

The Zika virus mosquito (Aedes aegypti) is a mosquito that can be recognized by white markings on its legs and a marking in the form of a lyre on the upper surface of the thorax. The mosquito originated in Africa but is now found in tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world and in 2015 was recognized as starting the Zika virus caused epidemic of babies with microcephaly. The term refers to a rare neurological condition in which children have unusually small heads. In many cases it also means a baby's brain is smaller and may not have developed properly.

Lost Cove, Virgin Gorda and Zika: The BVIs Government haven’t put out much on limiting exposure to the Zika virus which is sure to be in the BVIs by now. My caretaker staff overseen by the estate manager for my good friend Alice Duchess of M**** who has an estate just over the ridge from mine has her staff and mine ensuring there is no standing water where larvae can mature and power foggers are spraying insecticides routinely. I’m now really of two minds about vacationing at Lost Cove. I was so looking forward to several weeks of sun and sand away from the seemingly perpetual rainy skies and gales of the UK. Now it seems I may have waited too late to vacation there this year or until there is a vaccine for Zika. Not that I want to get preggers, but to have to use condoms with my partners while there and for several weeks afterward is such an inconvenience and robs the act of a lot of the skin-on-skin intimacy and the actual exchange of fluids which I so enjoy.

Still, our female staff and guests are cautioned to be sure to use their birth control method(s) correctly since a bite from a Zika carrying mosquito can doom a wanted pregnancy. So far the hierarchy of the Catholic Church in Brazil where the virus seems to have first appeared in the Americas has not officially taken a stand on aborting a Zika damaged pregnancy, although one bishop has said a fetus with severe birth defects is no reason to abort the pregnancy. Easy for him to say! He is undoubtedly the very model of a 19th centaury prelate poncing about in a dress with his head up his a**!  The Church is going to spring for the care of all the micro cephalic infants that weren’t aborted because abortion is illegal in Catholic South American countries, aren’t they! Oh yes! No one should hold their breath! One hopes that South American political and Catholic Church officials come to their senses and show the compassion they continually preach to their flock in the cases of impaired pregnancies.  

The 2016 Summer Olympic Games: There are reports that health authorities in Brazil (where the pandemic began in South America) are not being cooperative in supplying samples of the virus to other countries researchers. This is said to have something with Brazilian laws! Go figure! Earlier reports of sewage filled swimming competition locations were bad enough! However, with what is known now about the hazards of Zika (unless there is some miraculous scientific breakthrough that eradicates Zika) I can’t imagine the 2016 Olympic Games (the XXXI Olympiad) being held as currently scheduled in Rio de Janeiro from August 5th August 21st.  Or if the games are not canceled the huge disappointment to young couples trying to get pregnant canceling attending, or risking infection and birth defects by attending.

Zika can be transmitted through sex: The virus can stay active in blood for about a week and can be transmitted through unprotected intercourse and active virus has now been found in saliva and urine. It is not clear that Zika can be transmitted through saliva and urine, but some authorities in Brazil recommend avoiding kissing. As this is written it is unclear how long secretions from a Zika infected person can transmit the virus to his or her partner. The US CDC is working on an answer. For penile-vaginal intercourse this is making latex or nitrile condoms the safest way to have sex with a person who has been in an area where Zika is known to be active, but saliva and urine as possible virus transmitters makes it a whole new ballgame putting kissing not to mention cunnilingus and fellatio risky as well. Since the HIV virus can penetrate natural lamb condoms they probably aren’t safe to use as protection from Zika either. Nothing has been said (yet) about the virus in perspiration.

Zika is an Arbovirus so there is no quick field test to determine if a person is infected. Blood test intervals of 4 to 14 days can be expected depending on lab load which peaks in summer months.

NHS Zika guidelines can be found HERE

US CDC Zika diagnostic guidelines can be found HERE.

US CDC Zika Q&A can be found HERE

The Costume Club and Zika:  The transmission of Zika through human secretions has caused precautions to be taken with members of my London club in Kensington off Holland Park road. The Costume Club, AKA Clever Cunts), is requiring members to have a current passport showing they have not been in Central or South America or other Zika affected areas for at least three weeks before being allowed to exchange secretions with a Hostess. Otherwise it is using latex or nitrile condoms for every act of anal, vaginal or oral intercourse. The Aedes aegypti mosquito likes warm weather so England in the winter isn’t likely to breed many, but travelers can bring the virus back to the UK. It would be bad enough if a Hostess or two contracted Zika from a member, but since they are all using very effective LARC methods of contraception there is little likelihood of a Hostess becoming pregnant with an infant with serious birth defects. It is thought that once infected with Zika a person builds up immunity and can not be reinfected.

However, an infected Hostess could spread Zika to other club members which is unacceptable. It is far more difficult to be dismissive about a member contracting Zika from a Hostess and giving it to his mistress and/or pregnant wife. The board of governors acted quickly and unanimously on that so while there has been some grumbling, members understand.

The North Atlantic Drift: I’ve got a few minutes to myself so I’m actually missing the desert weather in Las Vegas. Go figure! The forecast for Llanidloes, the closest forecast to the castle, calls for heavy rain for the next three days from all the relatively warm air coming off the Atlantic dropping its moisture as it rises over the Cambrian Mountains. It’s making me want to risk a trip to Lost Cove regardless of the Zika virus.  

The North Atlantic Drift is the eastern branch of the Gulf Stream that turns south along the coast of Europe. The relatively warm waters of the North Atlantic Drift are responsible for moderating the climate of Western Europe, so that winters are less cold than would otherwise be expected at its latitude. Without the warm North Atlantic Drift, the UK and other places in Europe would be as cold as Canada, at the same latitude. For example, without this steady stream of warmth the British Isles winters are estimated to be more than 5 °C cooler, bringing the average December temperature in London to about 2°C, 35.6°F. Due to climate change the west coast of England and Wales is expected to get wetter and warmer over time.

7 comments:

  1. I certainly hope Zika doesn't go too far deep into the U.S. I'm hoping to go to Louisiana around spring break to meet someone I've been chatting with.

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    1. Hi Eric! Yes the hot southern coast in the summer could be a problem. Perhaps not in the Spring. I hope the meeting with your friend goes well.

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  2. Good evening Dear Jill, finally got the chance to laze and read your blog and damn!!! I missed so many posts, new year started gave me seriously crazy turn of my life, my rites finally done and I have two gods to follow now, as well had way to long new year/birthday party with 40 hour under ice dive experience, up to 26m/83ft below ice and this part: "Hyperventilation is where air is only partially exhaled leaving CO2 in the lungs and little room for fresh air. That makes the diver feel she can’t breathe and try to increase her respiration rate with shallow breaths which only makes the situation worse" I got hanged badly on this in my first dive and almost got kicked out of water, by suit made in our jack of all trades office when my heart rate skyrocketed to nearly 190's, but that was caused not by health issues, but more I was shocked, amazed and seriously high after reaching bottom, opening my eyes and turning on lights, that was something that changed my life to the way I never expected and I hope it is not going to become worst turn of events later on, I went into shady gym that is on surface is nice place with mixed sex exercises, but after detailed inspection process(STD, full blood tests, all life time criminal activities check and worst of all psychological examination hidden as a little motivational chat why I want to join) that turned out to be crazy place where athletes get complete rebuild, new personal guards/escorts are made and as well mercenaries for certain business.
    That was the point where I was thinking I got myself in big trouble, my weight went down from 84Kg to mere 65 in few weeks, now starting to go up again and around 67,5 with total body fat less than 9%, I got paired with professional gymnast, for stretching/agility exercises, she is in her 30's and she loves to abuse me as walking barre and drive me high on lust all time. that gave me interesting second blood test results last week when Testosterone skyrocketed from 407ng/dL before I started, to 1104ng/dL without any dirty stuff to eat/drink or injections.
    Now not sure where to post all comments and considerations about your posts in here or according to every post below them

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    Replies
    1. Hi and welcome back! 40 hours UW? How did that work? I'm glad the you got your breathing and BP under control so you can enjoy yourself with the gymnast/trainer you were assigned to. I'm glad too that there were a series of medical tests you had to pass since that sort of training is very strenuous and STIs can be easily transmitted if not careful.

      If possible its best to place comments on the post to which they pertain.

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    2. And feels even more awesome :) I had to try few dive suits for warm water and few for cold, well some cold water winter gear was pain in the ass in many many ways for me, some clothes under, filing with air no comfort at all, almost frying in own juices till reaching water and even more in water, flexibility limited and smell after use was.... lets skip this, I still get goose bumps after remembering that experience. Well the experimental gear was relatively heavy, suit and all support electronics with batteries was over 16kg/35lbs? and fun part is after getting on, weight was almost gone, distributed throughout the body it was so comfortable that I even had nice nap in silence under ice, well not me alone, at some point almost every one(I am and my gf was the only newbies there, other ten people was two Master Scuba Diver Trainer and eight DM by PADI) and all had same experience - most comfortable nap ever they had, that was like sleeping naked in absolute silence on comfy bed

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  3. well that was simple ~ 4-5 dives a day, 11 days total and that was not related to gym, that was last big work in our jack of all trades office, I was testing custom made from blueprints in pc to actual dive suit under ice, thickness 7mm hands/legs and 9mm chest/back/neck area with additional armor protection, temperature compensation (-16C to -23C outside water and 3,9-4,2 under ice), sealing checkup, grip testing for gloves and how long power supply can last... 40 hours 7 minutes in water according to suit computer, 53 minutes in cold stormy weather and 9% battery power left

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Powys , Wales, United Kingdom
I'm a classically trained dancer and SAB grad. A Dance Captain and go-to girl overseeing high-roller entertainment for a major casino/resort