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Health officials investigating mysterious Zika infection
Health officials are looking into a case of Zika virus infection in Utah, where a person was infected after caring for an elderly family member with the virus.
In the new case, the person had not recently traveled to an area with Zika and had not had sex with anyone with Zika infection or who had traveled to an area with Zika. Also, there is no current evidence that the Aedes mosquitoes, known to spread Zika virus, have been active in Utah.
The elderly Utah man who was first infected with Zika died in late June of unknown causes. He had traveled to an area with Zika, and laboratory tests revealed that he had virus levels more than 100,000 times higher than seen in other samples of infected people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Utah Department of Health and the CDC are investigating the possible cause of infection.
“We are trying to determine if the contact between the very sick elderly patient and the person played a role in how the person got sick,” Satish Pillai, PhD, deputy incident manager with CDC’s Zika response, said during a news conference. “We don’t have all of the answers right now, but we will continue to share the information as it comes available.”
CDC currently is not altering its instructions on the use of personal protective equipment.
“I think what this highlights is the fact that when you have an infection like Zika virus ... wherein a good percentage of patients don’t actually have symptoms, it means that it’s as important as ever to stick with good adherence to standard precautions,” Dr. Pillai said. “Just like we assume anybody might carry hepatitis or HIV, we don’t wait for a positive diagnosis in order to prevent blood or body fluid exposure. The same thing is true with Zika virus, and I think this is a great example of why we should never take chances, but always adhere to careful standards of touching.”
“The new case in Utah is a surprise, showing that we still have more to learn about Zika,” Erin Staples, MD, PhD, CDC medical epidemiologist on the ground in Utah, said in a statement. “Fortunately, the patient recovered quickly, and from what we have seen with more than 1,300 travel-associated cases of Zika in the continental United States and Hawaii, nonsexual spread from one person to another does not appear to be common.”
On Twitter @maryellenny
Health officials are looking into a case of Zika virus infection in Utah, where a person was infected after caring for an elderly family member with the virus.
In the new case, the person had not recently traveled to an area with Zika and had not had sex with anyone with Zika infection or who had traveled to an area with Zika. Also, there is no current evidence that the Aedes mosquitoes, known to spread Zika virus, have been active in Utah.
The elderly Utah man who was first infected with Zika died in late June of unknown causes. He had traveled to an area with Zika, and laboratory tests revealed that he had virus levels more than 100,000 times higher than seen in other samples of infected people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Utah Department of Health and the CDC are investigating the possible cause of infection.
“We are trying to determine if the contact between the very sick elderly patient and the person played a role in how the person got sick,” Satish Pillai, PhD, deputy incident manager with CDC’s Zika response, said during a news conference. “We don’t have all of the answers right now, but we will continue to share the information as it comes available.”
CDC currently is not altering its instructions on the use of personal protective equipment.
“I think what this highlights is the fact that when you have an infection like Zika virus ... wherein a good percentage of patients don’t actually have symptoms, it means that it’s as important as ever to stick with good adherence to standard precautions,” Dr. Pillai said. “Just like we assume anybody might carry hepatitis or HIV, we don’t wait for a positive diagnosis in order to prevent blood or body fluid exposure. The same thing is true with Zika virus, and I think this is a great example of why we should never take chances, but always adhere to careful standards of touching.”
“The new case in Utah is a surprise, showing that we still have more to learn about Zika,” Erin Staples, MD, PhD, CDC medical epidemiologist on the ground in Utah, said in a statement. “Fortunately, the patient recovered quickly, and from what we have seen with more than 1,300 travel-associated cases of Zika in the continental United States and Hawaii, nonsexual spread from one person to another does not appear to be common.”
On Twitter @maryellenny
Health officials are looking into a case of Zika virus infection in Utah, where a person was infected after caring for an elderly family member with the virus.
In the new case, the person had not recently traveled to an area with Zika and had not had sex with anyone with Zika infection or who had traveled to an area with Zika. Also, there is no current evidence that the Aedes mosquitoes, known to spread Zika virus, have been active in Utah.
The elderly Utah man who was first infected with Zika died in late June of unknown causes. He had traveled to an area with Zika, and laboratory tests revealed that he had virus levels more than 100,000 times higher than seen in other samples of infected people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Utah Department of Health and the CDC are investigating the possible cause of infection.
“We are trying to determine if the contact between the very sick elderly patient and the person played a role in how the person got sick,” Satish Pillai, PhD, deputy incident manager with CDC’s Zika response, said during a news conference. “We don’t have all of the answers right now, but we will continue to share the information as it comes available.”
CDC currently is not altering its instructions on the use of personal protective equipment.
“I think what this highlights is the fact that when you have an infection like Zika virus ... wherein a good percentage of patients don’t actually have symptoms, it means that it’s as important as ever to stick with good adherence to standard precautions,” Dr. Pillai said. “Just like we assume anybody might carry hepatitis or HIV, we don’t wait for a positive diagnosis in order to prevent blood or body fluid exposure. The same thing is true with Zika virus, and I think this is a great example of why we should never take chances, but always adhere to careful standards of touching.”
“The new case in Utah is a surprise, showing that we still have more to learn about Zika,” Erin Staples, MD, PhD, CDC medical epidemiologist on the ground in Utah, said in a statement. “Fortunately, the patient recovered quickly, and from what we have seen with more than 1,300 travel-associated cases of Zika in the continental United States and Hawaii, nonsexual spread from one person to another does not appear to be common.”
On Twitter @maryellenny
First female-to-male sexual transmission of Zika virus
A suspected case of sexual transmission of the Zika virus from a female to a male has occurred in New York City, according to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH).
“This case represents the first reported occurrence of female-to-male sexual transmission of Zika virus,” Alexander Davidson of the DOHMH and his coauthors stated in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. “Current guidance to prevent sexual transmission of Zika virus is based on the assumption that transmission occurs from a male partner to a receptive partner.”
The woman, reportedly in her twenties and not pregnant at the time of infection, had traveled to a region experiencing high volumes of Zika virus transmission. Upon returning home, the woman engaged in condomless vaginal intercourse with her male partner, and subsequently developed symptoms consistent with a Zika virus infection. Three days after symptom onset, her primary care provider took blood and urine samples, from which a Zika virus infection was confirmed. (MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2016 Jul 15. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6528e2)
A week after the sexual encounter, her partner – also in his twenties – began experiencing symptoms of Zika virus infection. Three days after the onset of his symptoms, he went to the same primary care provider as the woman. He confirmed that he had not traveled outside of the United States in the last year, had engaged in condomless vaginal sex with just one individual (the aforementioned female), had no blood on his penis to indicate vaginal bleeding or the presence of open lesions, and had no mosquito bites in the previous week.
“The timing and sequence of events support female-to-male Zika virus transmission through condomless vaginal intercourse,” the coauthors conclude, adding that “virus present in either vaginal fluids or menstrual blood might have been transmitted during exposure to her male partner’s urethral mucosa or undetected abrasions on his penis.”
Both the female and male were tested via real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR), with serum testing done via the Zika immunoglobulin M antibody capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Zika MAC-ELISA). The rRT-PCR testing showed Zika virus RNA in the woman’s serum, despite being collected three days after the sexual encounter, meaning she was viremic at the time. Studies on nonhuman primates have shown that Zika virus RNA can remain present in vaginal fluid for up to a week, according to the report.
The CDC is cautioning pregnant women against travel to Zika-heavy areas, in particular the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Health care providers who receive patients with Zika-like symptoms should ask if the patient has had sexual contact with someone who has traveled to an affected region, if the patient did not travel to such a region.
A suspected case of sexual transmission of the Zika virus from a female to a male has occurred in New York City, according to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH).
“This case represents the first reported occurrence of female-to-male sexual transmission of Zika virus,” Alexander Davidson of the DOHMH and his coauthors stated in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. “Current guidance to prevent sexual transmission of Zika virus is based on the assumption that transmission occurs from a male partner to a receptive partner.”
The woman, reportedly in her twenties and not pregnant at the time of infection, had traveled to a region experiencing high volumes of Zika virus transmission. Upon returning home, the woman engaged in condomless vaginal intercourse with her male partner, and subsequently developed symptoms consistent with a Zika virus infection. Three days after symptom onset, her primary care provider took blood and urine samples, from which a Zika virus infection was confirmed. (MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2016 Jul 15. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6528e2)
A week after the sexual encounter, her partner – also in his twenties – began experiencing symptoms of Zika virus infection. Three days after the onset of his symptoms, he went to the same primary care provider as the woman. He confirmed that he had not traveled outside of the United States in the last year, had engaged in condomless vaginal sex with just one individual (the aforementioned female), had no blood on his penis to indicate vaginal bleeding or the presence of open lesions, and had no mosquito bites in the previous week.
“The timing and sequence of events support female-to-male Zika virus transmission through condomless vaginal intercourse,” the coauthors conclude, adding that “virus present in either vaginal fluids or menstrual blood might have been transmitted during exposure to her male partner’s urethral mucosa or undetected abrasions on his penis.”
Both the female and male were tested via real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR), with serum testing done via the Zika immunoglobulin M antibody capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Zika MAC-ELISA). The rRT-PCR testing showed Zika virus RNA in the woman’s serum, despite being collected three days after the sexual encounter, meaning she was viremic at the time. Studies on nonhuman primates have shown that Zika virus RNA can remain present in vaginal fluid for up to a week, according to the report.
The CDC is cautioning pregnant women against travel to Zika-heavy areas, in particular the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Health care providers who receive patients with Zika-like symptoms should ask if the patient has had sexual contact with someone who has traveled to an affected region, if the patient did not travel to such a region.
A suspected case of sexual transmission of the Zika virus from a female to a male has occurred in New York City, according to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH).
“This case represents the first reported occurrence of female-to-male sexual transmission of Zika virus,” Alexander Davidson of the DOHMH and his coauthors stated in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. “Current guidance to prevent sexual transmission of Zika virus is based on the assumption that transmission occurs from a male partner to a receptive partner.”
The woman, reportedly in her twenties and not pregnant at the time of infection, had traveled to a region experiencing high volumes of Zika virus transmission. Upon returning home, the woman engaged in condomless vaginal intercourse with her male partner, and subsequently developed symptoms consistent with a Zika virus infection. Three days after symptom onset, her primary care provider took blood and urine samples, from which a Zika virus infection was confirmed. (MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2016 Jul 15. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6528e2)
A week after the sexual encounter, her partner – also in his twenties – began experiencing symptoms of Zika virus infection. Three days after the onset of his symptoms, he went to the same primary care provider as the woman. He confirmed that he had not traveled outside of the United States in the last year, had engaged in condomless vaginal sex with just one individual (the aforementioned female), had no blood on his penis to indicate vaginal bleeding or the presence of open lesions, and had no mosquito bites in the previous week.
“The timing and sequence of events support female-to-male Zika virus transmission through condomless vaginal intercourse,” the coauthors conclude, adding that “virus present in either vaginal fluids or menstrual blood might have been transmitted during exposure to her male partner’s urethral mucosa or undetected abrasions on his penis.”
Both the female and male were tested via real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR), with serum testing done via the Zika immunoglobulin M antibody capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Zika MAC-ELISA). The rRT-PCR testing showed Zika virus RNA in the woman’s serum, despite being collected three days after the sexual encounter, meaning she was viremic at the time. Studies on nonhuman primates have shown that Zika virus RNA can remain present in vaginal fluid for up to a week, according to the report.
The CDC is cautioning pregnant women against travel to Zika-heavy areas, in particular the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Health care providers who receive patients with Zika-like symptoms should ask if the patient has had sexual contact with someone who has traveled to an affected region, if the patient did not travel to such a region.
FROM MMWR
Number of U.S. Zika-related poor pregnancy outcomes rise to 16
One pregnancy loss with birth defects related to Zika virus was reported in the week ending July 7, 2016, along with two liveborn infants with Zika-related birth defects, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
That brings the total number of Zika-related poor birth outcomes in the United States to seven pregnancy losses and nine liveborn infants with birth defects, the CDC reported July 14.
All three of the latest Zika-related poor outcomes occurred in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Of the 16 total poor outcomes so far, 15 have occurred in the 50 states and D.C.; one pregnancy loss has been reported in the U.S. territories. State- or territorial-level data are not being reported to protect the privacy of affected women and children, the CDC said.
The CDC also reported that 346 pregnant women in the 50 states and D.C. and 303 women in U.S. territories have had laboratory evidence of Zika virus infection, for a total of 649 nationwide as of July 7.
The figures for states, territories, and the District of Columbia reflect reporting to the U.S. Zika Pregnancy Registry; data for Puerto Rico are reported to the U.S. Zika Active Pregnancy Surveillance System.
Zika-related birth defects recorded by the CDC could include microcephaly, calcium deposits in the brain indicating possible brain damage, excess fluid in the brain cavities and surrounding the brain, absent or poorly formed brain structures, abnormal eye development, or other problems resulting from brain damage that affect nerves, muscles, and bones. The pregnancy losses encompass any miscarriage, stillbirth, and termination with evidence of birth defects.
One pregnancy loss with birth defects related to Zika virus was reported in the week ending July 7, 2016, along with two liveborn infants with Zika-related birth defects, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
That brings the total number of Zika-related poor birth outcomes in the United States to seven pregnancy losses and nine liveborn infants with birth defects, the CDC reported July 14.
All three of the latest Zika-related poor outcomes occurred in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Of the 16 total poor outcomes so far, 15 have occurred in the 50 states and D.C.; one pregnancy loss has been reported in the U.S. territories. State- or territorial-level data are not being reported to protect the privacy of affected women and children, the CDC said.
The CDC also reported that 346 pregnant women in the 50 states and D.C. and 303 women in U.S. territories have had laboratory evidence of Zika virus infection, for a total of 649 nationwide as of July 7.
The figures for states, territories, and the District of Columbia reflect reporting to the U.S. Zika Pregnancy Registry; data for Puerto Rico are reported to the U.S. Zika Active Pregnancy Surveillance System.
Zika-related birth defects recorded by the CDC could include microcephaly, calcium deposits in the brain indicating possible brain damage, excess fluid in the brain cavities and surrounding the brain, absent or poorly formed brain structures, abnormal eye development, or other problems resulting from brain damage that affect nerves, muscles, and bones. The pregnancy losses encompass any miscarriage, stillbirth, and termination with evidence of birth defects.
One pregnancy loss with birth defects related to Zika virus was reported in the week ending July 7, 2016, along with two liveborn infants with Zika-related birth defects, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
That brings the total number of Zika-related poor birth outcomes in the United States to seven pregnancy losses and nine liveborn infants with birth defects, the CDC reported July 14.
All three of the latest Zika-related poor outcomes occurred in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Of the 16 total poor outcomes so far, 15 have occurred in the 50 states and D.C.; one pregnancy loss has been reported in the U.S. territories. State- or territorial-level data are not being reported to protect the privacy of affected women and children, the CDC said.
The CDC also reported that 346 pregnant women in the 50 states and D.C. and 303 women in U.S. territories have had laboratory evidence of Zika virus infection, for a total of 649 nationwide as of July 7.
The figures for states, territories, and the District of Columbia reflect reporting to the U.S. Zika Pregnancy Registry; data for Puerto Rico are reported to the U.S. Zika Active Pregnancy Surveillance System.
Zika-related birth defects recorded by the CDC could include microcephaly, calcium deposits in the brain indicating possible brain damage, excess fluid in the brain cavities and surrounding the brain, absent or poorly formed brain structures, abnormal eye development, or other problems resulting from brain damage that affect nerves, muscles, and bones. The pregnancy losses encompass any miscarriage, stillbirth, and termination with evidence of birth defects.
Case study: Zika virus may persist in female genital tract
Zika virus appears to be able to persist in a woman’s genital tract even after it is no longer detectable in blood and urine, according to a new case study.
The findings raise the possibility of woman-to-man sexual transmission of the virus, as well as mother-to-child vertical transmission.
Nadia Prisant, MD, of the University Hospital Center Pointe à Pitre, Guadeloupe, France, and her colleagues reported the case of a 27-year-old woman in France who tested positive for Zika virus infection in May. The initial blood test was positive, while the urine sample was negative (Lancet Infect Dis. 2016 Jul 11. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099[16]30193-1).
A genital swab, endocervical swab, and a cervical mucus sample were collected 3 days after symptom onset and all tested positive for Zika virus RNA. On day 11 after symptom onset, the woman’s blood and urine samples both tested negative, but her cervical mucus continued to test positive for Zika virus RNA.
The researchers stated that this is the first report of the presence of Zika virus in the genital tract of a woman, as well as its possible persistence after the virus is no longer detectable in blood and urine samples.
“Although we have not tested the infectiousness of a locally situated vaginal virus, its very presence in the female genital tract poses notable challenges, implying that sexual transmission from women to men could occur, as is the case for other viral infections,” the researchers wrote. “Zika virus presence in the female genital tract also means that vertical transmission from mother to fetus needs to be assessed, since this virus is a member of the Flaviviridae family, which includes hepatitis C, in which vertical transmission from mother to child can occur in up to 10% of pregnancies.”
The researchers reported having no relevant financial disclosures.
On Twitter @maryellenny
Zika virus appears to be able to persist in a woman’s genital tract even after it is no longer detectable in blood and urine, according to a new case study.
The findings raise the possibility of woman-to-man sexual transmission of the virus, as well as mother-to-child vertical transmission.
Nadia Prisant, MD, of the University Hospital Center Pointe à Pitre, Guadeloupe, France, and her colleagues reported the case of a 27-year-old woman in France who tested positive for Zika virus infection in May. The initial blood test was positive, while the urine sample was negative (Lancet Infect Dis. 2016 Jul 11. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099[16]30193-1).
A genital swab, endocervical swab, and a cervical mucus sample were collected 3 days after symptom onset and all tested positive for Zika virus RNA. On day 11 after symptom onset, the woman’s blood and urine samples both tested negative, but her cervical mucus continued to test positive for Zika virus RNA.
The researchers stated that this is the first report of the presence of Zika virus in the genital tract of a woman, as well as its possible persistence after the virus is no longer detectable in blood and urine samples.
“Although we have not tested the infectiousness of a locally situated vaginal virus, its very presence in the female genital tract poses notable challenges, implying that sexual transmission from women to men could occur, as is the case for other viral infections,” the researchers wrote. “Zika virus presence in the female genital tract also means that vertical transmission from mother to fetus needs to be assessed, since this virus is a member of the Flaviviridae family, which includes hepatitis C, in which vertical transmission from mother to child can occur in up to 10% of pregnancies.”
The researchers reported having no relevant financial disclosures.
On Twitter @maryellenny
Zika virus appears to be able to persist in a woman’s genital tract even after it is no longer detectable in blood and urine, according to a new case study.
The findings raise the possibility of woman-to-man sexual transmission of the virus, as well as mother-to-child vertical transmission.
Nadia Prisant, MD, of the University Hospital Center Pointe à Pitre, Guadeloupe, France, and her colleagues reported the case of a 27-year-old woman in France who tested positive for Zika virus infection in May. The initial blood test was positive, while the urine sample was negative (Lancet Infect Dis. 2016 Jul 11. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099[16]30193-1).
A genital swab, endocervical swab, and a cervical mucus sample were collected 3 days after symptom onset and all tested positive for Zika virus RNA. On day 11 after symptom onset, the woman’s blood and urine samples both tested negative, but her cervical mucus continued to test positive for Zika virus RNA.
The researchers stated that this is the first report of the presence of Zika virus in the genital tract of a woman, as well as its possible persistence after the virus is no longer detectable in blood and urine samples.
“Although we have not tested the infectiousness of a locally situated vaginal virus, its very presence in the female genital tract poses notable challenges, implying that sexual transmission from women to men could occur, as is the case for other viral infections,” the researchers wrote. “Zika virus presence in the female genital tract also means that vertical transmission from mother to fetus needs to be assessed, since this virus is a member of the Flaviviridae family, which includes hepatitis C, in which vertical transmission from mother to child can occur in up to 10% of pregnancies.”
The researchers reported having no relevant financial disclosures.
On Twitter @maryellenny
FROM THE LANCET INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Key clinical point: Zika virus RNA was found in a woman’s genital tract.
Major finding: On day 11 after symptom onset, the woman’s blood and urine samples both tested negative, but her cervical mucus continued to test positive for Zika virus RNA.
Data source: A case study of a 27-year-old woman in Guadeloupe, France with Zika virus.
Disclosures: The researchers reported having no relevant financial disclosures.
Olympic Games create novel opportunity to study Zika virus
Behind the competition and pageantry of the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, researchers at the University of Utah will be busy monitoring a subset of athletes, coaches, and other U.S. Olympic Committee staff for potential Zika virus exposure.
“Of everyone I talk to who’s at risk for Zika virus, their No. 1 question is, what are the risks to my reproductive health?” said the study’s principal investigator Carrie L. Byington, MD, a pediatrician and infectious disease specialist who is codirector of Utah Center for Clinical and Translational Science at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. “Can I have a healthy baby? How can I protect that opportunity to reproduce? We are dedicated to trying to find some answers.”
In a study funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Dr. Byington and a team of six other clinicians will recruit up to 1,000 athletes, coaches, and other U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) staff attending the games to complete health surveys and undergo pre- and post-travel periodic antibody testing for Zika virus, a mosquito-borne flavivirus that has emerged in the Americas with local transmission identified in 30 countries and territories as of April 2016, including Brazil. From that group they expect to identify infected individuals. “Hopefully, it’s a very small proportion of the group but we think that we will identify some, because it is going to be impossible to prevent all mosquito exposure, even over the short term,” Dr. Byington said. Those found to harbor Zika virus by antibody testing will be followed for up to 2 years and will be asked to submit self-collected samples of blood, urine, saliva, semen, and vaginal secretions monthly. Affected individuals who wish to conceive after the games will have access to the study personnel, who include four infectious disease specialists, two obstetrician-gynecologists, and a laboratory expert. “We will have monthly testing and direct consultation with them regarding their test results and help them make the best reproductive decisions they can,” Dr. Byington said.
In April 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that fetal infection with Zika virus was the cause of microcephaly and other severe brain anomalies that result in permanent morbidity in surviving infants. According to a description of the current study published by the National Institutes of Health, many questions remain regarding infection with Zika virus, including the duration and potential for sexual or perinatal transmission from body fluids; the short and long-term reproductive outcomes of individuals infected with Zika virus; and the outcomes for infants born to men and women with either symptomatic or asymptomatic Zika virus infection. The researchers consider each study participant as equally susceptible to Zika virus exposure, regardless of his or her sport or role with the USOC. “People will be both indoors and outdoors, and these are indoor-dwelling mosquitoes, so I don’t think we can completely eliminate the risk for any type of traveler,” Dr. Byington said. “We’re very interested in the water venues, but we’re also concerned about standing water outside other venues or hotel rooms.” If a study participant falls ill in Rio de Janeiro with symptoms consistent with Zika virus, USOC medical personnel will send samples of blood, urine, and saliva to the Utah-based research team for confirmatory polymerase chain reaction testing.
The idea for the current study grew out of a pilot trial that Dr. Byington and her associates conducted in 150 individuals affiliated with the USOC who were traveling back and forth to Brazil in preparation for the games during March and April of 2016. It enabled the researchers to develop online web-based tools for consenting, tracking, and returning test results. “It allowed us to do some work with our laboratory facilities for shipping and receiving specimens and processing and running specimens and returning some results,” Dr. Byington said. “That work has been really important. We found that about one-third of our pilot was interested in becoming pregnant very shortly after the games, so that was very important information that we were able to share with the USOC and the NIH. This is a group that is very interested in their reproductive health, which makes an ideal cohort for the study.”
David Turok, MD, an ob.gyn. and member of the research team, planned long ago to attend the Olympic Games in Rio as a spectator with his wife and 14-year-old son. He intends to carry out those plans and described the current study as a unique opportunity to better understand the Zika virus. “The need for data on the topic is pressing,” said Dr. Turok, who directs the family planning fellowship at the University of Utah. “People who are Olympic athletes and coaches are probably more likely to plan their lives. We know from a wealth of epidemiologic data that people who plan their pregnancies have better outcomes. This is something that our society has done a really poor job in communicating: the challenges of parenting and the benefits of planning pregnancy and making the most effective methods of contraception available. This study is an opportunity to better our game. There’s probably no better opportunity for prospective evaluation of a group of people who we know are going to have some exposure [to Zika virus]. The known exposure and the known desired outcome make it a unique opportunity.”
The 2016 Summer Olympics will take place in Rio de Janeiro Aug. 5-21, while the Paralympic Games take place Sept. 7-18. Dr. Byington said that she hopes to be able to share preliminary study results with the public sometime in October.
Behind the competition and pageantry of the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, researchers at the University of Utah will be busy monitoring a subset of athletes, coaches, and other U.S. Olympic Committee staff for potential Zika virus exposure.
“Of everyone I talk to who’s at risk for Zika virus, their No. 1 question is, what are the risks to my reproductive health?” said the study’s principal investigator Carrie L. Byington, MD, a pediatrician and infectious disease specialist who is codirector of Utah Center for Clinical and Translational Science at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. “Can I have a healthy baby? How can I protect that opportunity to reproduce? We are dedicated to trying to find some answers.”
In a study funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Dr. Byington and a team of six other clinicians will recruit up to 1,000 athletes, coaches, and other U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) staff attending the games to complete health surveys and undergo pre- and post-travel periodic antibody testing for Zika virus, a mosquito-borne flavivirus that has emerged in the Americas with local transmission identified in 30 countries and territories as of April 2016, including Brazil. From that group they expect to identify infected individuals. “Hopefully, it’s a very small proportion of the group but we think that we will identify some, because it is going to be impossible to prevent all mosquito exposure, even over the short term,” Dr. Byington said. Those found to harbor Zika virus by antibody testing will be followed for up to 2 years and will be asked to submit self-collected samples of blood, urine, saliva, semen, and vaginal secretions monthly. Affected individuals who wish to conceive after the games will have access to the study personnel, who include four infectious disease specialists, two obstetrician-gynecologists, and a laboratory expert. “We will have monthly testing and direct consultation with them regarding their test results and help them make the best reproductive decisions they can,” Dr. Byington said.
In April 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that fetal infection with Zika virus was the cause of microcephaly and other severe brain anomalies that result in permanent morbidity in surviving infants. According to a description of the current study published by the National Institutes of Health, many questions remain regarding infection with Zika virus, including the duration and potential for sexual or perinatal transmission from body fluids; the short and long-term reproductive outcomes of individuals infected with Zika virus; and the outcomes for infants born to men and women with either symptomatic or asymptomatic Zika virus infection. The researchers consider each study participant as equally susceptible to Zika virus exposure, regardless of his or her sport or role with the USOC. “People will be both indoors and outdoors, and these are indoor-dwelling mosquitoes, so I don’t think we can completely eliminate the risk for any type of traveler,” Dr. Byington said. “We’re very interested in the water venues, but we’re also concerned about standing water outside other venues or hotel rooms.” If a study participant falls ill in Rio de Janeiro with symptoms consistent with Zika virus, USOC medical personnel will send samples of blood, urine, and saliva to the Utah-based research team for confirmatory polymerase chain reaction testing.
The idea for the current study grew out of a pilot trial that Dr. Byington and her associates conducted in 150 individuals affiliated with the USOC who were traveling back and forth to Brazil in preparation for the games during March and April of 2016. It enabled the researchers to develop online web-based tools for consenting, tracking, and returning test results. “It allowed us to do some work with our laboratory facilities for shipping and receiving specimens and processing and running specimens and returning some results,” Dr. Byington said. “That work has been really important. We found that about one-third of our pilot was interested in becoming pregnant very shortly after the games, so that was very important information that we were able to share with the USOC and the NIH. This is a group that is very interested in their reproductive health, which makes an ideal cohort for the study.”
David Turok, MD, an ob.gyn. and member of the research team, planned long ago to attend the Olympic Games in Rio as a spectator with his wife and 14-year-old son. He intends to carry out those plans and described the current study as a unique opportunity to better understand the Zika virus. “The need for data on the topic is pressing,” said Dr. Turok, who directs the family planning fellowship at the University of Utah. “People who are Olympic athletes and coaches are probably more likely to plan their lives. We know from a wealth of epidemiologic data that people who plan their pregnancies have better outcomes. This is something that our society has done a really poor job in communicating: the challenges of parenting and the benefits of planning pregnancy and making the most effective methods of contraception available. This study is an opportunity to better our game. There’s probably no better opportunity for prospective evaluation of a group of people who we know are going to have some exposure [to Zika virus]. The known exposure and the known desired outcome make it a unique opportunity.”
The 2016 Summer Olympics will take place in Rio de Janeiro Aug. 5-21, while the Paralympic Games take place Sept. 7-18. Dr. Byington said that she hopes to be able to share preliminary study results with the public sometime in October.
Behind the competition and pageantry of the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, researchers at the University of Utah will be busy monitoring a subset of athletes, coaches, and other U.S. Olympic Committee staff for potential Zika virus exposure.
“Of everyone I talk to who’s at risk for Zika virus, their No. 1 question is, what are the risks to my reproductive health?” said the study’s principal investigator Carrie L. Byington, MD, a pediatrician and infectious disease specialist who is codirector of Utah Center for Clinical and Translational Science at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. “Can I have a healthy baby? How can I protect that opportunity to reproduce? We are dedicated to trying to find some answers.”
In a study funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Dr. Byington and a team of six other clinicians will recruit up to 1,000 athletes, coaches, and other U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) staff attending the games to complete health surveys and undergo pre- and post-travel periodic antibody testing for Zika virus, a mosquito-borne flavivirus that has emerged in the Americas with local transmission identified in 30 countries and territories as of April 2016, including Brazil. From that group they expect to identify infected individuals. “Hopefully, it’s a very small proportion of the group but we think that we will identify some, because it is going to be impossible to prevent all mosquito exposure, even over the short term,” Dr. Byington said. Those found to harbor Zika virus by antibody testing will be followed for up to 2 years and will be asked to submit self-collected samples of blood, urine, saliva, semen, and vaginal secretions monthly. Affected individuals who wish to conceive after the games will have access to the study personnel, who include four infectious disease specialists, two obstetrician-gynecologists, and a laboratory expert. “We will have monthly testing and direct consultation with them regarding their test results and help them make the best reproductive decisions they can,” Dr. Byington said.
In April 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that fetal infection with Zika virus was the cause of microcephaly and other severe brain anomalies that result in permanent morbidity in surviving infants. According to a description of the current study published by the National Institutes of Health, many questions remain regarding infection with Zika virus, including the duration and potential for sexual or perinatal transmission from body fluids; the short and long-term reproductive outcomes of individuals infected with Zika virus; and the outcomes for infants born to men and women with either symptomatic or asymptomatic Zika virus infection. The researchers consider each study participant as equally susceptible to Zika virus exposure, regardless of his or her sport or role with the USOC. “People will be both indoors and outdoors, and these are indoor-dwelling mosquitoes, so I don’t think we can completely eliminate the risk for any type of traveler,” Dr. Byington said. “We’re very interested in the water venues, but we’re also concerned about standing water outside other venues or hotel rooms.” If a study participant falls ill in Rio de Janeiro with symptoms consistent with Zika virus, USOC medical personnel will send samples of blood, urine, and saliva to the Utah-based research team for confirmatory polymerase chain reaction testing.
The idea for the current study grew out of a pilot trial that Dr. Byington and her associates conducted in 150 individuals affiliated with the USOC who were traveling back and forth to Brazil in preparation for the games during March and April of 2016. It enabled the researchers to develop online web-based tools for consenting, tracking, and returning test results. “It allowed us to do some work with our laboratory facilities for shipping and receiving specimens and processing and running specimens and returning some results,” Dr. Byington said. “That work has been really important. We found that about one-third of our pilot was interested in becoming pregnant very shortly after the games, so that was very important information that we were able to share with the USOC and the NIH. This is a group that is very interested in their reproductive health, which makes an ideal cohort for the study.”
David Turok, MD, an ob.gyn. and member of the research team, planned long ago to attend the Olympic Games in Rio as a spectator with his wife and 14-year-old son. He intends to carry out those plans and described the current study as a unique opportunity to better understand the Zika virus. “The need for data on the topic is pressing,” said Dr. Turok, who directs the family planning fellowship at the University of Utah. “People who are Olympic athletes and coaches are probably more likely to plan their lives. We know from a wealth of epidemiologic data that people who plan their pregnancies have better outcomes. This is something that our society has done a really poor job in communicating: the challenges of parenting and the benefits of planning pregnancy and making the most effective methods of contraception available. This study is an opportunity to better our game. There’s probably no better opportunity for prospective evaluation of a group of people who we know are going to have some exposure [to Zika virus]. The known exposure and the known desired outcome make it a unique opportunity.”
The 2016 Summer Olympics will take place in Rio de Janeiro Aug. 5-21, while the Paralympic Games take place Sept. 7-18. Dr. Byington said that she hopes to be able to share preliminary study results with the public sometime in October.
CDC forecasts low chance of mosquito-borne Zika infection at Olympics
With only a few weeks left until the 2016 Olympic Games get underway in Rio de Janeiro, officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are urging anyone traveling to the Olympics to take precautions to avoid contracting Zika virus infection or spreading it when they return home.
But the CDC estimates that there is a low probability of mosquito-borne Zika virus infections during the Olympics because Rio will be experiencing cooler, drier weather then, which typically reduces the mosquito population.
Along with lower mosquito activity, the CDC said that the number of visitors expected in Brazil for the Olympics represents only a fraction of the total travel volume to Zika-affected countries during 2015. The Brazilian Tourism Board is expecting anywhere between 350,000 and 500,000 visitors for the Olympic Games, coming from 207 countries. That represents less than 0.25% of the total travel volume to Zika-affected countries during the entirety of 2015, according to the CDC.
There are 19 countries that the CDC deems susceptible to sustained mosquito-borne transmission of the Zika virus, should the virus enter the country via an attendee of the Olympics (MMWR. 2016 Jul 13. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6528e1).
Of these 19 – none of which are currently experiencing a Zika outbreak – 15 are “not estimated to increase substantially the level of risk above that incurred by the usual aviation travel baseline for these countries.” This leaves Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, and Yemen at an elevated risk for a Zika outbreak. These four countries “are unique in that they do not have a substantial number of travelers to any country with local Zika virus transmission, except for anticipated travel to the Games,” according to the CDC.
The CDC is urging travelers to take protective measures for their entire stay in Rio and for at least 3 weeks after returning home. The measures include applying mosquito repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants, staying in rooms that are air conditioned, and using either screen doors or a mosquito net for additional protection. Additionally, all travelers should take measures to prevent sexual transmission. The CDC continues to advise pregnant women not to travel to the Olympics.
With only a few weeks left until the 2016 Olympic Games get underway in Rio de Janeiro, officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are urging anyone traveling to the Olympics to take precautions to avoid contracting Zika virus infection or spreading it when they return home.
But the CDC estimates that there is a low probability of mosquito-borne Zika virus infections during the Olympics because Rio will be experiencing cooler, drier weather then, which typically reduces the mosquito population.
Along with lower mosquito activity, the CDC said that the number of visitors expected in Brazil for the Olympics represents only a fraction of the total travel volume to Zika-affected countries during 2015. The Brazilian Tourism Board is expecting anywhere between 350,000 and 500,000 visitors for the Olympic Games, coming from 207 countries. That represents less than 0.25% of the total travel volume to Zika-affected countries during the entirety of 2015, according to the CDC.
There are 19 countries that the CDC deems susceptible to sustained mosquito-borne transmission of the Zika virus, should the virus enter the country via an attendee of the Olympics (MMWR. 2016 Jul 13. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6528e1).
Of these 19 – none of which are currently experiencing a Zika outbreak – 15 are “not estimated to increase substantially the level of risk above that incurred by the usual aviation travel baseline for these countries.” This leaves Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, and Yemen at an elevated risk for a Zika outbreak. These four countries “are unique in that they do not have a substantial number of travelers to any country with local Zika virus transmission, except for anticipated travel to the Games,” according to the CDC.
The CDC is urging travelers to take protective measures for their entire stay in Rio and for at least 3 weeks after returning home. The measures include applying mosquito repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants, staying in rooms that are air conditioned, and using either screen doors or a mosquito net for additional protection. Additionally, all travelers should take measures to prevent sexual transmission. The CDC continues to advise pregnant women not to travel to the Olympics.
With only a few weeks left until the 2016 Olympic Games get underway in Rio de Janeiro, officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are urging anyone traveling to the Olympics to take precautions to avoid contracting Zika virus infection or spreading it when they return home.
But the CDC estimates that there is a low probability of mosquito-borne Zika virus infections during the Olympics because Rio will be experiencing cooler, drier weather then, which typically reduces the mosquito population.
Along with lower mosquito activity, the CDC said that the number of visitors expected in Brazil for the Olympics represents only a fraction of the total travel volume to Zika-affected countries during 2015. The Brazilian Tourism Board is expecting anywhere between 350,000 and 500,000 visitors for the Olympic Games, coming from 207 countries. That represents less than 0.25% of the total travel volume to Zika-affected countries during the entirety of 2015, according to the CDC.
There are 19 countries that the CDC deems susceptible to sustained mosquito-borne transmission of the Zika virus, should the virus enter the country via an attendee of the Olympics (MMWR. 2016 Jul 13. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6528e1).
Of these 19 – none of which are currently experiencing a Zika outbreak – 15 are “not estimated to increase substantially the level of risk above that incurred by the usual aviation travel baseline for these countries.” This leaves Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, and Yemen at an elevated risk for a Zika outbreak. These four countries “are unique in that they do not have a substantial number of travelers to any country with local Zika virus transmission, except for anticipated travel to the Games,” according to the CDC.
The CDC is urging travelers to take protective measures for their entire stay in Rio and for at least 3 weeks after returning home. The measures include applying mosquito repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants, staying in rooms that are air conditioned, and using either screen doors or a mosquito net for additional protection. Additionally, all travelers should take measures to prevent sexual transmission. The CDC continues to advise pregnant women not to travel to the Olympics.
FROM MMWR
Biomarkers more specific in severe EVD than in moderate disease
Biomarkers associated with severe Ebola virus disease (EVD) were more specific than were those associated with moderate EVD, in a small study, according to Dr. Anita K. McElroy and her associates.
In the study of seven (two severe, five moderate) patients with EVD, 54 biomarkers in plasma samples were analyzed to define the kinetics of inflammatory modulators. Of these, 6 had a statistically significant association with moderate disease and 17 with severe disease. The patients with severe disease had higher viremia (P = .0003). Among 16 biomarkers correlated with viremia, 11 were associated with severe disease.
The researchers noted that the interleukin-6 differences between moderate and severe disease were not statistically significant because of the small numbers of samples in the moderate group that had detectable levels; however, there is a direct association between severity and interleukin-6 levels.
“The results from this study illuminate the beneficial vs. harmful host immune responses in EVD,” the researchers concluded. “The next step is to generate testable hypotheses about these physiologic processes and evaluate them using relevant animal models.”
Find the full study in Clinical Infectious Diseases (doi: 10.1093/cid/ciw334).
Biomarkers associated with severe Ebola virus disease (EVD) were more specific than were those associated with moderate EVD, in a small study, according to Dr. Anita K. McElroy and her associates.
In the study of seven (two severe, five moderate) patients with EVD, 54 biomarkers in plasma samples were analyzed to define the kinetics of inflammatory modulators. Of these, 6 had a statistically significant association with moderate disease and 17 with severe disease. The patients with severe disease had higher viremia (P = .0003). Among 16 biomarkers correlated with viremia, 11 were associated with severe disease.
The researchers noted that the interleukin-6 differences between moderate and severe disease were not statistically significant because of the small numbers of samples in the moderate group that had detectable levels; however, there is a direct association between severity and interleukin-6 levels.
“The results from this study illuminate the beneficial vs. harmful host immune responses in EVD,” the researchers concluded. “The next step is to generate testable hypotheses about these physiologic processes and evaluate them using relevant animal models.”
Find the full study in Clinical Infectious Diseases (doi: 10.1093/cid/ciw334).
Biomarkers associated with severe Ebola virus disease (EVD) were more specific than were those associated with moderate EVD, in a small study, according to Dr. Anita K. McElroy and her associates.
In the study of seven (two severe, five moderate) patients with EVD, 54 biomarkers in plasma samples were analyzed to define the kinetics of inflammatory modulators. Of these, 6 had a statistically significant association with moderate disease and 17 with severe disease. The patients with severe disease had higher viremia (P = .0003). Among 16 biomarkers correlated with viremia, 11 were associated with severe disease.
The researchers noted that the interleukin-6 differences between moderate and severe disease were not statistically significant because of the small numbers of samples in the moderate group that had detectable levels; however, there is a direct association between severity and interleukin-6 levels.
“The results from this study illuminate the beneficial vs. harmful host immune responses in EVD,” the researchers concluded. “The next step is to generate testable hypotheses about these physiologic processes and evaluate them using relevant animal models.”
Find the full study in Clinical Infectious Diseases (doi: 10.1093/cid/ciw334).
FROM CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Telephone triage system can help predict dengue outbreaks
Data collected by a telephone-based hotline system can be used to effectively predict outbreaks of dengue in developing countries weeks ahead of time, according to researchers in Pakistan.
After an outbreak of dengue in Lahore, Pakistan, in 2011, a phone-based helpline system was set up by the province of Punjab to combat the epidemic and to improve surveillance and rapid response capabilities. The system received more than 300,000 calls from September 2011 through the end of 2013, and during the three peaks of dengue cases during that time, calls to the help center strongly correlated to an increase in suspected dengue cases.
While calls correlated to outbreaks, the call system alone left some gaps. During the first peak in 2013, when campaign awareness activity was low, comparatively fewer calls were received. The model used in Punjab also factored in weather, and successfully predicted increases in dengue cases at a subcity level 2-3 weeks in advance. As a result, total case incidence in Punjab decreased from 21,000 in 2011 to 257 in 2012 and to 1,600 in 2013.
“Our system has helped public health officials to take early actions to contain the spread of the disease and provide hospitals an early warning of dengue cases in their vicinity. We believe that this system can also be used for a broad array of diseases beyond dengue and can easily be replicated in other developing countries at low costs,” the investigators concluded.
Read the full study in Science Advances (doi: 10.1126/sciadv.1501215).
Data collected by a telephone-based hotline system can be used to effectively predict outbreaks of dengue in developing countries weeks ahead of time, according to researchers in Pakistan.
After an outbreak of dengue in Lahore, Pakistan, in 2011, a phone-based helpline system was set up by the province of Punjab to combat the epidemic and to improve surveillance and rapid response capabilities. The system received more than 300,000 calls from September 2011 through the end of 2013, and during the three peaks of dengue cases during that time, calls to the help center strongly correlated to an increase in suspected dengue cases.
While calls correlated to outbreaks, the call system alone left some gaps. During the first peak in 2013, when campaign awareness activity was low, comparatively fewer calls were received. The model used in Punjab also factored in weather, and successfully predicted increases in dengue cases at a subcity level 2-3 weeks in advance. As a result, total case incidence in Punjab decreased from 21,000 in 2011 to 257 in 2012 and to 1,600 in 2013.
“Our system has helped public health officials to take early actions to contain the spread of the disease and provide hospitals an early warning of dengue cases in their vicinity. We believe that this system can also be used for a broad array of diseases beyond dengue and can easily be replicated in other developing countries at low costs,” the investigators concluded.
Read the full study in Science Advances (doi: 10.1126/sciadv.1501215).
Data collected by a telephone-based hotline system can be used to effectively predict outbreaks of dengue in developing countries weeks ahead of time, according to researchers in Pakistan.
After an outbreak of dengue in Lahore, Pakistan, in 2011, a phone-based helpline system was set up by the province of Punjab to combat the epidemic and to improve surveillance and rapid response capabilities. The system received more than 300,000 calls from September 2011 through the end of 2013, and during the three peaks of dengue cases during that time, calls to the help center strongly correlated to an increase in suspected dengue cases.
While calls correlated to outbreaks, the call system alone left some gaps. During the first peak in 2013, when campaign awareness activity was low, comparatively fewer calls were received. The model used in Punjab also factored in weather, and successfully predicted increases in dengue cases at a subcity level 2-3 weeks in advance. As a result, total case incidence in Punjab decreased from 21,000 in 2011 to 257 in 2012 and to 1,600 in 2013.
“Our system has helped public health officials to take early actions to contain the spread of the disease and provide hospitals an early warning of dengue cases in their vicinity. We believe that this system can also be used for a broad array of diseases beyond dengue and can easily be replicated in other developing countries at low costs,” the investigators concluded.
Read the full study in Science Advances (doi: 10.1126/sciadv.1501215).
FROM SCIENCE ADVANCES
Number of U.S. Zika cases in pregnant women nears 600
There was one Zika-related pregnancy loss in the United States during the week ending June 30, 2016, bringing the total to six pregnancy losses and seven infants born with birth defects that may be related to maternal Zika virus infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The one pregnancy loss for the week occurred in 1 of the 50 states or the District of Columbia. Of the 13 adverse events so far, 12 occurred in the 50 states or D.C., and 1 occurred in a U.S. territory, the CDC reported on July 7. State- or territorial-level data are not being reported to protect the privacy of affected women and children.
For the week ending June 30, there were 33 new reports of pregnant women with any laboratory evidence of Zika virus infection in the 50 states and D.C., for a total of 320 for the year. Among U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico, there were 29 new reports, bringing the total to 279 for the territories and 599 for the entire country, the CDC said.
The figures for states, territories, and the District of Columbia reflect reporting to the U.S. Zika Pregnancy Registry; data for Puerto Rico are reported to the U.S. Zika Active Pregnancy Surveillance System.
These are not real time data and reflect only pregnancy outcomes for women with any laboratory evidence of possible Zika virus infection, although it is not known if Zika virus was the cause of the poor outcomes.
Zika-related birth defects recorded by the CDC could include microcephaly, calcium deposits in the brain indicating possible brain damage, excess fluid in the brain cavities and surrounding the brain, absent or poorly formed brain structures, abnormal eye development, or other problems resulting from brain damage that affect nerves, muscles, and bones. The pregnancy losses encompass any miscarriage, stillbirth, and termination with evidence of birth defects.
There was one Zika-related pregnancy loss in the United States during the week ending June 30, 2016, bringing the total to six pregnancy losses and seven infants born with birth defects that may be related to maternal Zika virus infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The one pregnancy loss for the week occurred in 1 of the 50 states or the District of Columbia. Of the 13 adverse events so far, 12 occurred in the 50 states or D.C., and 1 occurred in a U.S. territory, the CDC reported on July 7. State- or territorial-level data are not being reported to protect the privacy of affected women and children.
For the week ending June 30, there were 33 new reports of pregnant women with any laboratory evidence of Zika virus infection in the 50 states and D.C., for a total of 320 for the year. Among U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico, there were 29 new reports, bringing the total to 279 for the territories and 599 for the entire country, the CDC said.
The figures for states, territories, and the District of Columbia reflect reporting to the U.S. Zika Pregnancy Registry; data for Puerto Rico are reported to the U.S. Zika Active Pregnancy Surveillance System.
These are not real time data and reflect only pregnancy outcomes for women with any laboratory evidence of possible Zika virus infection, although it is not known if Zika virus was the cause of the poor outcomes.
Zika-related birth defects recorded by the CDC could include microcephaly, calcium deposits in the brain indicating possible brain damage, excess fluid in the brain cavities and surrounding the brain, absent or poorly formed brain structures, abnormal eye development, or other problems resulting from brain damage that affect nerves, muscles, and bones. The pregnancy losses encompass any miscarriage, stillbirth, and termination with evidence of birth defects.
There was one Zika-related pregnancy loss in the United States during the week ending June 30, 2016, bringing the total to six pregnancy losses and seven infants born with birth defects that may be related to maternal Zika virus infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The one pregnancy loss for the week occurred in 1 of the 50 states or the District of Columbia. Of the 13 adverse events so far, 12 occurred in the 50 states or D.C., and 1 occurred in a U.S. territory, the CDC reported on July 7. State- or territorial-level data are not being reported to protect the privacy of affected women and children.
For the week ending June 30, there were 33 new reports of pregnant women with any laboratory evidence of Zika virus infection in the 50 states and D.C., for a total of 320 for the year. Among U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico, there were 29 new reports, bringing the total to 279 for the territories and 599 for the entire country, the CDC said.
The figures for states, territories, and the District of Columbia reflect reporting to the U.S. Zika Pregnancy Registry; data for Puerto Rico are reported to the U.S. Zika Active Pregnancy Surveillance System.
These are not real time data and reflect only pregnancy outcomes for women with any laboratory evidence of possible Zika virus infection, although it is not known if Zika virus was the cause of the poor outcomes.
Zika-related birth defects recorded by the CDC could include microcephaly, calcium deposits in the brain indicating possible brain damage, excess fluid in the brain cavities and surrounding the brain, absent or poorly formed brain structures, abnormal eye development, or other problems resulting from brain damage that affect nerves, muscles, and bones. The pregnancy losses encompass any miscarriage, stillbirth, and termination with evidence of birth defects.
Zika study to focus on U.S. Olympic athletes
Zika virus exposure will be monitored by researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health during the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Rio De Janeiro.
The study, funded by NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and led by Carrie L. Byington, MD, from the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, aims to provide answers on the incidence of Zika virus infections, identify risk factors for infections, and detect where the virus persists in the body. The researchers will study the reproductive outcomes of Zika-infected individuals for up to 1 year.
The study is expected to enroll at least 1,000 men and women – a subset of athletes, coaches, and other U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) staff members traveling to Brazil for the games.
“Zika virus infection poses many unknown risks, especially to those of reproductive age,” Catherine Y. Spong, MD, acting director of NICHD, said in a statement. “Monitoring the health and reproductive outcomes of members of the U.S. Olympic team offers a unique opportunity to answer important questions and help address an ongoing public health emergency.”
The University of Utah and the USOC conducted a 1-month pilot study during March-April 2016. Among the 150 participants, one-third of the pilot group indicated that they or their partner planned to become pregnant within 12 months of the Olympic Games. Before traveling to Brazil, the entire USOC staff will be briefed on a number of items, including the Zika outbreak. Zika virus testing kits and training on how to use the tests will be provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Read more about the study here
Zika virus exposure will be monitored by researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health during the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Rio De Janeiro.
The study, funded by NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and led by Carrie L. Byington, MD, from the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, aims to provide answers on the incidence of Zika virus infections, identify risk factors for infections, and detect where the virus persists in the body. The researchers will study the reproductive outcomes of Zika-infected individuals for up to 1 year.
The study is expected to enroll at least 1,000 men and women – a subset of athletes, coaches, and other U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) staff members traveling to Brazil for the games.
“Zika virus infection poses many unknown risks, especially to those of reproductive age,” Catherine Y. Spong, MD, acting director of NICHD, said in a statement. “Monitoring the health and reproductive outcomes of members of the U.S. Olympic team offers a unique opportunity to answer important questions and help address an ongoing public health emergency.”
The University of Utah and the USOC conducted a 1-month pilot study during March-April 2016. Among the 150 participants, one-third of the pilot group indicated that they or their partner planned to become pregnant within 12 months of the Olympic Games. Before traveling to Brazil, the entire USOC staff will be briefed on a number of items, including the Zika outbreak. Zika virus testing kits and training on how to use the tests will be provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Read more about the study here
Zika virus exposure will be monitored by researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health during the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Rio De Janeiro.
The study, funded by NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and led by Carrie L. Byington, MD, from the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, aims to provide answers on the incidence of Zika virus infections, identify risk factors for infections, and detect where the virus persists in the body. The researchers will study the reproductive outcomes of Zika-infected individuals for up to 1 year.
The study is expected to enroll at least 1,000 men and women – a subset of athletes, coaches, and other U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) staff members traveling to Brazil for the games.
“Zika virus infection poses many unknown risks, especially to those of reproductive age,” Catherine Y. Spong, MD, acting director of NICHD, said in a statement. “Monitoring the health and reproductive outcomes of members of the U.S. Olympic team offers a unique opportunity to answer important questions and help address an ongoing public health emergency.”
The University of Utah and the USOC conducted a 1-month pilot study during March-April 2016. Among the 150 participants, one-third of the pilot group indicated that they or their partner planned to become pregnant within 12 months of the Olympic Games. Before traveling to Brazil, the entire USOC staff will be briefed on a number of items, including the Zika outbreak. Zika virus testing kits and training on how to use the tests will be provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Read more about the study here
