There have been almost 2,500 cases of Zika in the USA linked to travel to outbreak areas.
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The Washoe County Health District confirmed Friday that a woman who contracted the Zika virus is pregnant.
As a further safety measure against the emerging Zika virus outbreak, today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a revised guidance recommending universal testing of donated Whole Blood and blood components for Zika virus in the U.S. and its territories.
Friday’s advisory means all USA states and territories will need to begin testing blood donations for Zika.
Blood centers already test for other bloodborne viruses, such as HIV and hepatitis.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been only 29 locally acquired cases – not acquired during worldwide travel – in the USA and all have been in Florida.
A locally transmitted case was reported on the island of New Providence, where the capital city, Nassau, is located, the CDC said. Zika poses the greatest risk to pregnant women, given its connection to a range of birth defects.
According to the CDC current reports reflect poor outcomes among pregnancies with laboratory evidence of possible Zika virus infection.
“There is still much uncertainty regarding the nature and extent of Zika virus transmission”, Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a statement.
The broader understanding of Zika’s effects on fetal brain development comes about a month after the first case of microcephaly in New York City was announced by local public health officials.
Two US lawmakers, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro of CT and Congressman Lloyd Doggett of Texas, had recently urged the FDA to expand testing for Zika to blood banks nationwide, saying it would cost less than $10 per donor. Symptoms can include fever, joint pain, rash and red, irritated eyes.
Marks said two companies have been granted special approval to have their tests used to screen the blood supply.
Both tests are considered “investigational”, meaning they’ve been scrutinized by the FDA but have not yet passed all of its usual requirements.
There have been no cases of Zika related to blood transfusions in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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The FDA works with other federal agencies to set standards for screening, testing and handling blood donations.
