Zika Virus

What is Zika?

Zika is a virus that is transmitted to people primarily through bites of infected mosquitoes. Most people exposed to Zika virus will have no symptoms or only mild symptoms. The primary concern about this virus is that it can pass from an infected mother to her baby during pregnancy and cause serious birth defects. People exposed to Zika virus who have no symptoms are said to have a Zika virus infection; those who have symptoms are said to have Zika virus disease. Both conditions will be referred to as “Zika” below.

Where does Zika occur?

Zika is a risk in many countries and territories, and has been found in the Americas, Pacific Islands, and parts of Africa and Asia. Because the mosquitoes that spread the virus are found around the world, it is possible that outbreaks will occur in new countries and territories. Some limited spread of Zika virus by mosquitoes in the continental United States has occurred, but this has not occurred in Virginia.

How does Zika spread?

Zika virus is primarily transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. It can also be spread through sex from a person who is infected with Zika virus to an uninfected sexual partner. Zika can also be passed from a woman who is pregnant to her fetus during pregnancy or around the time of birth. In rare cases zika can be transmitted by blood or organ donations from infected donors or exposures can occur in laboratory settings.

Who gets Zika?

Anyone living in or traveling to a place where the virus is circulating can get infected with Zika. This can happen from being bitten by an infected mosquito or by having sex with an infected partner.

What are the symptoms of Zika?

About 80% of people who are infected with Zika virus do not become sick. For the 20% who do become sick, the most common symptoms include fever, an itchy rash, joint pain, conjunctivitis (red eyes), headache, and muscle pain. The illness is usually mild, and the symptoms typically last several days to a week.

Zika virus infection during pregnancy can cause the fetus to develop microcephaly and/or other severe birth defects. Microcephaly is a birth defect in which a baby’s head is much smaller than expected. In a small number of infected people, there have also been reports of neurologic syndromes, such as Guillain‐Barré Syndrome (GBS). Ongoing studies are investigating the connection between GBS and Zika.

How soon do symptoms of Zika occur?

Symptoms, if present, can appear within 3 to 14 days after exposure to Zika virus.

How is Zika diagnosed?

To determine if you have Zika virus, your healthcare provider will ask about recent travel and symptoms you are experiencing. Blood or urine tests may be ordered to help determine if you have Zika. Testing should occur as soon as possible, while you have symptoms.

What is the treatment for Zika?

There is no vaccine or medicine to prevent Zika. Antibiotics don’t work against viruses, and no antiviral drugs have been found. For serious illnesses caused by Zika, treatment usually involves supportive care. This means patients might need to go to the hospital, get help with breathing, receive fluids through an IV, and take steps to avoid other infections. Other mosquito-borne disease, like dengue, tend to overlap geographic areas with Zika and have similar symptoms. It is advised that persons who think they have Zika should only use pain relievers (analgesics) with acetaminophen. Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) should be avoided until dengue can be ruled out to reduce the risk of hemorrhage.

How can Zika be prevented?

Pregnant women should not travel to areas with Zika outbreaks.

Pregnant women should talk to their healthcare providers about the risks and possible consequences of travel to other areas with risk of Zika. After returning, she should talk to her healthcare provider about her travel to an area with risk of Zika. If you think you have Zika, see your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider may test your blood or urine for Zika virus and other similar conditions.

Prevent mosquito bites

• Use insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus on exposed skin and/or clothing. The repellent/insecticide permethrin can be used on clothing to protect through several washes. Always follow the directions on the package.
• Wear long sleeves and pants when weather permits.
• Use the repellent day and night because the mosquitoes that transmit Zika virus bite during the day but will also enter buildings and bite at night.
• Sleep indoors in rooms with screened windows or air‐conditioning or use a bed net if you sleep in a room that is exposed to the outdoors.
• Eliminate mosquito breeding sites around the home by emptying standing water from flowerpots, buckets, barrels, and other containers. Drill holes in tire swings so water drains out. Empty children’s wading pools and store on their side after use.

Practice safe sex

• To protect sexual partners from potential Zika virus infection, it is recommended to use condoms or abstain from sexual activity. Men should use condoms or avoid sex for three months after returning from a Zika-endemic area or after a confirmed infection. Women should do the same for at least two months.

Where can I get more information about Zika?

• If you have concerns about Zika, contact your healthcare provider.
• Call your local health department. You can find your local health department at vdh.virginia.gov/health-department-locator/.
• For information about mosquito-borne diseases including Zika, visit the VDH Bugs and Human Health page tab on mosquito-borne illness at vdh.virginia.gov/environmental-epidemiology/bugs-human-health/.
• For questions about mosquito control programs in Virginia, please visit the Virginia Mosquito Control Association website at mosquito-va.org/.
• Visit the CDC page on Zika at cdc.gov/zika/ for more information.