Is there a threat of contracting Zika from mosquitoes in Missouri?

Since it was discovered that the Zika virus has been transmitted by local mosquitoes in Miami, Florida, many people across the country have become increasingly concerned about getting bitten by a mosquito.

But Missourians need not worry for now as probability of contracting Zika from mosquitoes in the state are low, according to Dr. David Claborn, Missouri State University associate professor of public health.

As part of a contract from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), Claborn and his team of researchers have traveled across the southern part of the state since June, trapping mosquitoes at parks and wrecking yards, and studying them to see if any are Aedes aegypti (also known as the Yellow Fever mosquito), which is the primary vector of Zika.

The collection of larvae and adult mosquitoes from different parts of the state are completed for this year and so far no specimens of Aedes aegypti have been found.

Source: