Zika Virus

Zika virus is spread to people through mosquitoes. The most common symptoms of Zika virus disease are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting from several days to a week. Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon. Zika virus has occurred in areas of Africa, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, Brazil, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and America Samoa. There is no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat the Zika virus at this time.

Locally transmitted Zika cases have been reported in Miami, Florida. For more information please see the CDC's Advice for people living in or traveling to South Florida.

Zika virus will continue to spread through travelers. When traveling to areas where the Zika virus has been found, you should protect yourself from mosquito bites with long sleeves and pants, and use insect repellant.

The mosquitoes that can carry Zika virus are those that can also carry dengue and chikungunya viruses and are not currently found in Maine. However, these mosquitoes are present in a large area of the United States.

Resources for Physicians

Approximately 1 in 5 people infected with Zika virus become symptomatic. Symptoms include acute onset of fever with maculopapular rash, arthralgia, or conjunctivitis. Other commonly reported symptoms include myalgia and headache. Clinical illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week. Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon and case fatality is low. Due to concerns of microcephaly associated with maternal Zika virus infection, fetuses and infants of women infected with Zika virus during pregnancy should be evaluated for possible congenital infection and neurologic abnormalities.

Preliminary diagnosis is based on the patient's clinical features, places and dates of travel, and activities. Laboratory diagnosis is generally accomplished by testing serum or plasma to detect virus, viral nucleic acid, or virus-specific immunoglobulin M and neutralizing antibodies. (More information about diagnostic testing. External site disclaimer)

All samples should be submitted to Maine's Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory (HETL) and must include the HETL requisition form (PDF) and the Arboviral Submission Form (PDF).

Maine Zika testing algorithm (PDF) updated on 7/11/2017

Federal CDC Testing Algorithm for Asymptomatic Pregnant Women with Possible Zika Exposure (PDF) added on 7/25/2017

Federal CDC Testing Algorithm for Symptomatic Pregnant Women with Possible Zika Exposure (PDF) added on 7/25/2017

Zika Fact Sheets

Maine Zika Reports

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