In preparation for the warmer weather just around the corner, more than 300 local, state and federal government officials and health experts gathered Friday for a special Zika summit to develop action plans for preventing and addressing mosquito-borne transmission of the virus in certain regions of the United States.
For a disease that experts know so little about, one of the most important elements of minimizing the effects of an outbreak will be careful surveillance, public health and infectious disease leaders agreed at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-led summit. That means physicians need to know when to test for Zika, how to test for the virus and where to report cases.
“The mosquitoes that carry Zika virus are already active in U.S. territories, hundreds of travelers with Zika have already returned to the continental United States, and we could well see clusters of Zika virus in the continental United States in the coming months,” CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, said in a news release Friday. “Urgent action is needed, especially to minimize the risk of exposure during pregnancy. Everyone has a role to play.”
Here are the main points physicians need to know:
When should I test my patients for Zika virus?
Make sure you and the members of your practice team know the symptoms of Zika virus, and ask your patients about their travel histories. Both pregnant women and other patients who have symptoms of the virus and have traveled to an area with Zika should be tested.
How should I test for Zika virus?
The CDC offers information about diagnostic testing, including specimen collection and submission. But all testing must be done through your state and local health departments. You should work directly with these departments when your patients require testing.
Where should I report Zika cases?
You should report suspected cases of Zika virus to your state or local health departments to facilitate diagnosis and mitigate the risk of local transmission. If you have a pregnant patient with laboratory evidence of Zika virus, be sure to report this case to your state, tribal, local or territorial health department for inclusion in the U.S. Zika Pregnancy Registry.
How can I encourage prevention?
The most effective way you can help ease the effects of a Zika virus outbreak is to educate pregnant women and their partners on how to prevent Zika transmission. The CDC offers educational materials that cover where not to travel, the best ways to prevent mosquito bites and how to prevent sexual transmission of the virus.
A new Vital Signs report gives guidance for protecting against the spread of Zika and other mosquito-borne illnesses. These measures can help prevent transmission among your community at large and better protect pregnant women and other vulnerable patients among the community.
The AMA continues to regularly update its Zika Resource Center to provide the latest information to the public, physicians and other health care workers.
