Sexual Transmission of Zika In New Hampshire

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UnionLeader.com ‏@UnionLeader 43s44 seconds ago
1st confirmed case of Zika virus in NH is in a non-pregnant female, officials say. More TK.

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First Case Of Zika Virus Detected In New Hampshire

 

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Division of Public Health Services

Publish Date:
March 1, 2016

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is announcing the first confirmed case of a New Hampshire resident infected with Zika virus. The adult female patient contracted the virus after sexual contact with a male who was symptomatic and had traveled to a country where Zika virus transmission is occurring. The patient has fully recovered and is not pregnant.

“The New Hampshire patient we are announcing today was infected with Zika through sexual contact with someone who traveled to a location with active Zika transmission” said Marcella Bobinsky, Acting Director of Public Health at DHHS. “Identifying cases in New Hampshire is not unexpected, although the most common means of transmission of the virus is through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Sexual transmission is less common. Our greatest concern is for pregnant women who may be exposed to the virus through travel, or the travel of their partners, because Zika has been associated with severe birth defects, including microcephaly. The mosquitoes that transmit Zika are not found in New Hampshire.”

The mosquito-borne virus has caused the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to issue travel warnings for pregnant women. People who have questions about their travel plans should consult with their healthcare provider. DHHS is also encouraging college students and others who may be traveling to Zika-affected regions this spring, including South America, Central America, the Caribbean, Pacific Islands, and U.S. territories to take strict precautions against being bitten by mosquitoes.

Because Zika can also be transmitted sexually, pregnant women with a male partner who travels to a Zika-affected area should either abstain from sexual activity, or use condoms correctly and consistently for the duration of their pregnancy to protect the unborn fetus. Additionally, until we know more about the risks of sexual transmission, non-pregnant women of childbearing age who travel, or who have a male partner that travels, to a Zika-affected region, should talk with their healthcare providers about their pregnancy plans and take steps to avoid any unintended pregnancy, including correct and consistent condom use.

DHHS is working with the CDC to enhance the state Public Health Laboratory's testing capabilities, protocols and certifications for Zika. DHHS also has worked to inform health care providers and the general public about the Zika virus, prevention efforts and other resources. To date, DHHS has issued two Health Alerts and held a webinar to help educate health care providers on treatment and prevention of Zika. It has also launched a web page for public access to these resources and information on the virus. For more information, visit the DHHS Zika webpage at www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/cdcs/zika/.

Symptoms of Zika infection include fever, rash, conjunctivitis, and joint pain. Most people (~80%) infected with the virus do not develop any symptoms. There is no vaccine against Zika and no medicine to treat the virus. People who are concerned that they may have been exposed to Zika or who have symptoms of Zika virus infection should talk with their healthcare provider.

For more information on Zika, visit our website at www.dhhs.nh.gov or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website atwww.cdc.gov.

http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/media/pr/2016/030116-first-zika-case.htm

 

Edited March 1, 2016 by niman

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Map updated

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By KC Downey

BIO

First case of Zika virus confirmed in New Hampshire

Woman has recovered from virus and is not pregnant, officials say

UPDATED 3:53 PM EST Mar 01, 2016

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CONCORD, N.H. —The first case of Zika virus in New Hampshire has been confirmed, health officials said Tuesday.

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Officials said the patient is a woman who contracted the virus after having sexual contact with a man who was having symptoms and had traveled to a country where the Zika virus is more common.

The woman is not pregnant and has fully recovered, officials said. According to the AP, she was not hospitalized.

Officials said sexual transmission of the virus is not as common as it is through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. These mosquitoes are not found in the Granite State.

"Our greatest concern is for pregnant women who may be exposed to the virus through travel, or the travel of their partners, because Zika has been associated with severe birth defects, including microcephaly," said Marcella Bobinsky, acting director of public health at the Department of Health and Human Services in New Hampshire.

The CDC is recommending that pregnant women avoid traveling to Zika-affected regions this spring, including South America, Central America, the Caribbean, Pacific islands, and U.S. territories. College students and others who may be traveling to these regions are encouraged to take precautions, officials said.

Because the virus can be transmitted sexually, pregnant women are urged to properly use a condom with a male partner who has traveled to infected areas, or abstain from having sex.

Symptoms of Zika virus include fever, rash, conjunctivitis and joint pain, though around 80 percent of those with the virus do not develop any symptoms.

Health officials said there is no vaccine against the virus and there is no medicine to treat it.

http://www.wmur.com/health/first-case-of-zika-virus-confirmed-in-new-hampshire/38279260