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[h=1]Zika Virus Infection in a Massachusetts Resident After Travel to Costa Rica: A Case Report FREE ONLINE FIRST[/h] Lin H. Chen, MD
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Ann Intern Med. Published online 10 February 2016 doi:10.7326/L16-0075
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Discussion: Results of plaque reduction neutralization antibody tests confirmed the diagnosis of Zika virus infection in a traveler who returned to the United States from Costa Rica and had mild illness consistent with that reported in persons infected with Zika virus (1, 2). There was cross-reactivity of serologic results of dengue virus with those of Zika virus. Both are mosquito-borne flaviviruses. Zika virus infection had not been documented in Costa Rica as of 26 January, the date when infection in this patient was confirmed.
This case shows that Zika virus is probably circulating more widely than has been officially reported in the Americas and illustrates the role of travelers as sentinels for outbreaks and for the potential expansion of pathogens to new geographic areas (3). GeoSentinel sites worldwide are reporting cases of Zika virus infection in returning travelers (Hamer D, Schlagenhauf P. Personal communication).
The current outbreak of Zika virus resembles the rapid spread of chikungunya fever in the Americas since 2013 (4). Costa Rica is a popular travel destination and has the Aedes mosquitoes that are also responsible for transmitting dengue and chikungunya viruses. Travelers to all areas where these mosquitoes are present, including Costa Rica, should be advised to avoid day-biting mosquitoes to prevent dengue, Zika, and chikungunya virus infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov/zika), the Pan American Health Organization (www.paho.org), and other health authorities have posted recommendations for mosquito bite protection and information about the possible association of Zika virus with microcephaly in infected pregnant women (1, 2, 5).
http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=2492129&resultClick=3
[+] Article, Author, and Disclosure Information
Ann Intern Med. Published online 10 February 2016 doi:10.7326/L16-0075
snip
Discussion: Results of plaque reduction neutralization antibody tests confirmed the diagnosis of Zika virus infection in a traveler who returned to the United States from Costa Rica and had mild illness consistent with that reported in persons infected with Zika virus (1, 2). There was cross-reactivity of serologic results of dengue virus with those of Zika virus. Both are mosquito-borne flaviviruses. Zika virus infection had not been documented in Costa Rica as of 26 January, the date when infection in this patient was confirmed.
This case shows that Zika virus is probably circulating more widely than has been officially reported in the Americas and illustrates the role of travelers as sentinels for outbreaks and for the potential expansion of pathogens to new geographic areas (3). GeoSentinel sites worldwide are reporting cases of Zika virus infection in returning travelers (Hamer D, Schlagenhauf P. Personal communication).
The current outbreak of Zika virus resembles the rapid spread of chikungunya fever in the Americas since 2013 (4). Costa Rica is a popular travel destination and has the Aedes mosquitoes that are also responsible for transmitting dengue and chikungunya viruses. Travelers to all areas where these mosquitoes are present, including Costa Rica, should be advised to avoid day-biting mosquitoes to prevent dengue, Zika, and chikungunya virus infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov/zika), the Pan American Health Organization (www.paho.org), and other health authorities have posted recommendations for mosquito bite protection and information about the possible association of Zika virus with microcephaly in infected pregnant women (1, 2, 5).
http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=2492129&resultClick=3