Infected men who have unprotected sex with pregnant women can pass the virus to their partners and potentially harm a developing fetus.
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The state of Florida reported Thursday, three cases of pregnant travelers in Florida.
Most people who get the virus display no symptoms, and those who do generally avoid serious illness.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been no reported mosquito-transmitted cases of Zika in the U.S. Both of them tested positive for Zika. The CDC also notes that of these pregnancies, two ended in miscarriage, two were electively terminated, one infant had microcephaly and two infants were born healthy. All of the nine women visited countries in Latin America affected by Zika virus and all of them displayed the symptoms of the disease such as fever, rashes, pain and conjunctivitis.
The CDC said women who are trying to become pregnant and are considering going to Brazil for the events in August and September should talk to their doctors about their risk of infection and should take all necessary steps to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. Cases of microcephaly, which shrinks the heads and brains of children, have skyrocketed in places with Zika, but epidemiologists have been unable to prove that infections in mothers are directly causing the defects. The agency advised their male sexual partners to use condoms after the trip or abstain from sex during the pregnancy.
The new information underscores the importance of following that advice, said CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden.
The CDC said it continues to investigate 10 more cases.
The Oregon Health Authority on Friday reported the state’s first case of sexually transmitted Zika infection.
“That’s a problem in terms of making a decision about the pregnancy”, says Alfred DeMaria, MD, who directs the public health laboratory for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
“We did not expect to see these brain abnormalities in this small case series of USA pregnant travelers”, said Dr. Denise Jamieson, a birth defects expert serving on CDC’s Zika Virus Response Team.
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DeMaria says some obstetricians have told him they are discouraging patients from getting the blood test, against the CDC’s guidelines.
