Zika testing recommendations changed for pregnant women stat : STAT

There's never been anything easy about the Zika virus outbreak, and a new complication is now coming to light. The new guidance also suggests that if an amniocentesis test is done, doctors should consider testing the fluid using the Zika nucleic acid test. Likewise, pregnant women who develop symptoms of Zika or who have a sexual partner who tests positive for Zika should be promptly tested using the nucleic acid test. "However, if dengue virus transmission were to increase, guidance for interpretation of Zika virus IgM testing results may need to be reconsidered," the CDC said. Pregnant women should be counseled on the limitations of these tests, the CDC guidance advises.




"Pregnant women who test positive for IgM antibody may have been infected with Zika virus and developed an IgM response before conception."The CDC recommends that health care professionals consider testing women who plan on becoming pregnant and may have been exposed to Zika for antibodies before pregnancy. The CDC issued a health alert notice on Friday with updated guidance on the interpretation of Zika testing results for women who plan on becoming pregnant and live in or frequently travel to areas where the virus is circulating. Therefore, the CDC warned that Zika virus immunoglobulin M (IgM) ELISA assays, which are used to detect Zika antibodies or proteins, may not be able to determine the timing of the onset of the infection. The CDC also recommends that health care professionals evaluating asymptomatic pregnant women with potential Zika exposure should:screen for signs of infection and promptly test women using nucleic acid testing (NAT) if they develop symptoms during pregnancy or if their sexual partner develops Zika;consider NAT testing at least once during each trimester, unless a previous test was positive;consider testing any specimens collected during amniocentesis for evidence of Zika virus; andcounsel all pregnant women during each trimester on the limitations of Zika testing. New data suggest that, for some patients, Zika antibodies may remain in in the body for months after infection.


Of the 18 pregnant women who tested positive for Zika infection, one other baby, born last month, also has microcephaly. CBS News"For right now he's doing OK but maybe like in four or three years, we don't know," Morado said. BROWNSVILLE, Texas -- When we first met 23-year-old Rocio Morado of Brownsville, Texas, last month, she was 36 weeks pregnant and doctors were seeing problems with her baby on ultrasound. "I'm kind of sad, but I know everything is going to be OK," Morado said last month. CBS News"I don't know what to tell patients who live in Brownsville that want to have a family," Visintine said.


collected by :Lucy William

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