The Zika virus has dominated headlines over the past year as it continues to spread through Latin America, the Caribbean and some U.S. territories including Puerto Rico. According to the World Health Organization, the virus is likely to spread further because the mosquito that transmits Zika is found throughout the world, including the United States.

If you live in the United States, however, you may be relieved to know that the virus has yet to be transmitted through a mosquito bite. Instead, of all the people in the U.S. currently infected with the Zika virus, most were travelers returning from overseas, while a handful were acquired through sexual contact with a partner who had traveled abroad.

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Despite the increasing number of cases, experts agree there is no reason for panic, because the virus is relatively harmless to most people. Only a few adult deaths have been linked to Zika, and only about one in five infected will experience any symptoms. Common reported symptoms include fever, rash, joint pain and pink eye. If symptoms do appear, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that it would happen within a few days to a week after infection.

Yet Zika is associated with potentially devastating consequences for pregnant women and their unborn babies. In fact, research published in the New England Journal of Medicine in February confirmed the link between pregnant women with Zika and babies born with microcephaly, a rare birth defect defined by brain damage and an abnormally small head. Because of this, the CDC has advised pregnant women to stay away from countries where Zika is circulating.


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The CDC recommends that women who have been diagnosed with the Zika virus or have traveled to an area where the virus is prevalent  wait at least eight weeks after the onset of symptoms or potential exposure before attempting to get pregnant.

There is also now strong evidence for male-to-female sexual transmission of the Zika virus, and at least six cases have been confirmed by the CDC.

Using conservative estimates of risk from available data, the CDC now recommends that men who have had symptomatic Zika virus infection wait at least six months after symptom onset before attempting conception with their partners, and they should use appropriate methods to prevent possible pregnancy during this six-month period. They also recommend that men who have traveled to or resided in a Zika-affected area without symptoms of Zika virus infection wait at least eight weeks before attempting to conceive.

If you are pregnant and must travel to affected areas, or you are just concerned about exposure to the virus, the CDC recommends talking to a health care provider to determine the risk of infection and to strictly follow steps to avoid mosquito bites during a trip. Some suggestions include wearing long-sleeve shirts and long pants, treating clothing with permethrin (an over-the-counter insecticide), staying in places that are air-conditioned with screens over doors and windows and bed nets, and using Environmental Protection Agency-registered insect repellents.

It is also recommended for men who have traveled to these areas to abstain from sex or use a condom during sexual activity.

More information, including regular updates, on the Zika virus can be found at

Henry S. Fraimow is an epidemiologist with Cooper University Health Care.

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