Zika Virus Updates and Resources June 1, 2016 SF Dept of Public Health SFDPH, Zika 0 There has been a minor change in testing recommendations for patients reporting symptoms consistent with Zika virus (fever, rash, arthralgia, conjunctivitis) who have been potentially exposed to Zika virus. Urine testing is now recommended to be done along with serum testing, and in fact may be the preferred sample type for detection of Zika by PCR testing. Evidence regarding microcephaly and other birth defects related to Zika infection during pregnancy continues to emerge. A recent New England Journal of Medicine article estimated the risk of microcephaly in infants born to Zika infected mothers associated with current outbreak in Brazil to range between 1% and 13%. Given these concerns, it is particularly important that physicians emphasize mosquito precautions to their patients who plan to travel to Zika-affected areas. Depending on the scenario, it may also be appropriate to counsel patients regarding the use of condoms to prevent sexual transmission of Zika and other sexually transmitted diseases. Resources Testing guidance for asymptomatic pregnant women with potential Zika exposure has not changed. California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is accepting urine specimens collected up to 21 days after symptom onset when accompanied by a serum specimen. If you are requesting Zika testing for a symptomatic patient, please contact the SFDPH Communicable Disease Control Unit at 415-554-2830 for guidance. SFDPH’s Zika Virus Information for Healthcare Providers page offers detailed instructions regarding Zika testing, as well as other resources. SFDPH Zika FAQs for patients (English/Spanish) CDPH Zika travel toolkit (English/Spanish) CDPH Zika and sexual transmission toolkit (English/Spanish) CDC Zika travel information Comments are closed.
