Following the CDC issuing a Level 2 travel alert for people traveling to Zika-affected countries on January 15, the U.S. preparedness and response efforts for the mosquito-borne virus are likely to ramp up as cases are confirmed in multiple states. The appearance and increase of Zika coincides with a rise in the birth defect microcephaly in Brazil, and additional studies are underway to further characterize the relationship between these two issues. The CDC has released several resources for providers to support early recognition and reporting of suspected cases of the virus. For further information, please refer to the following links:
- CDC travel alert related to Zika virus for 14 countries and territories in Central and South America and the Caribbean
- General information about microcephaly
- General information about Zika virus
- General information about Zika virus for health care providers
- MMWR: Interim Guidelines for the Evaluation and Testing of Infants with Possible Congenital Zika Virus Infection – United States, 2016
- MMWR: Interim Guidelines for Pregnant Women During a Zika Virus Outbreak – United States, 2016
- NACCHO Blog Post: CDC Issues Health Advisory for Zika Virus
- Zika Virus – What Clinicians Need to Know