The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) today (Friday) announced an Iowa resident, who recently traveled to countries where Zika virus transmission is ongoing, has tested positive for the virus. Following approval of Zika testing by IDPH, health care providers send specimens to the State Hygienic Laboratory, which then routes them to the CDC for analysis. The older adult (61 to 80 years of age) female has a travel history to Central America.

IDPH Medical Director, Dr. Patricia Quinlisk said “The general public is not at risk of contracting this virus, because the mosquitoes that transmit Zika are not established in Iowa. However, Iowans traveling to areas where there is ongoing Zika virus transmission should take care to protect themselves from mosquito bites.”

The CDC is currently advising pregnant women to delay travel to foreign countries where Zika is being transmitted. There have been reports of a serious birth defect of the brain called microcephaly (meaning small head) and other poor pregnancy outcomes in babies of mothers who were infected with Zika virus while pregnant. Women who are trying to become pregnant should talk to their doctor about their plans to become pregnant and the risk of Zika virus infection. The CDC is currently recommending that if your male sexual partner has traveled to or lives in an area with active Zika virus transmission you should abstain from sex or use condoms the right way every time you have vaginal, anal, and oral sex for the duration of the pregnancy.

The CDC is investigating a possible link between Zika virus infection and Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a rare neurological condition which causes varying degrees of paralysis; in addition, mosquitoes in areas where Zika transmission is ongoing may also carry diseases like dengue or chikungunya.

Therefore, any traveler (males, females and children) visiting areas with ongoing Zika transmission should carefully follow steps to avoid mosquito bites:

Wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants
Using EPA-registered insect repellents
Using permethrin-treated clothing
Staying and sleeping in screened-in or air-conditioned rooms
Avoid or limit outdoor activities during peak mosquito times.

The Zika virus illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week and hospitalizations are rare. Most people exposed to Zika virus won’t develop any symptoms at all. There is currently no vaccine or treatment for the virus. To learn more about Zika virus, including a link to a Zika-affected travel map, visit https://idph.iowa.gov/ehi/zika.