Zika virus infection risk factors
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ilan Dock, B.S.; Nate Michalak, B.A.
Overview
The greatest risk factor for acquiring Zika virus is traveling to endemic areas. Other less potent risk factors include blood transfusion from infected donor, sexual transmission, and perinatal transmission to a fetus from an infected mother.
Common risk factors
- Mosquito Bites in Endemic Areas (as listed below as areas of prior outbreaks).
- The most potent risk factors related to contracting Zika virus are traveling to endemic areas, such as Asia and Africa (reported prior to 2007), The Federated States of Micronesia (reported in 2007), and most recently in the South American regions of Chile (reported in 2014), Brazil and Colombia(reported in 2015), Guatemala, El Salvador, Paraguay, Suriname, Venezuela, and Mexico (all cases were reported in 2015.)[1]
Less common risk factors
- Blood transfusion from an asymptomatic donor in an endemic area.
- Perinatal and sexual transmission.
References
- ↑ "Epidemiological Alert: Neurological Syndromes, Congenital Malformations, and Zika Virus Infection. Implications for Public Health in the Americas". Pan American Health Organization. Pan American Health Organization. December 1, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2015.