Zika Virus Infection Confirmed or Being Investigated in 19 Pregnant Women in US, CDC Says
— -- Zika virus infections have been either confirmed or are being investigated in 19 pregnant women in the U.S., the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention said today.
Nine women have been confirmed to have had the Zika virus in the U.S., according to a new report from the CDC, which also note that of these pregnancies, two ended in miscarriage, two were electively terminated, one infant had microcephaly and two infants were born healthy. The last two pregnancies are ongoing without known complications, according to the CDC.
Ten other reports of pregnant women with Zika-like symptoms are being investigated, the CDC said. All of these women are believed to have been infected with the Zika virus while traveling outside the U.S.
The Zika virus usually results in mild symptoms, including fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis, according to the CDC. Approximately one in five people infected with the virus show symptoms. However, the virus has also been associated with a rise of microcephaly birth defect cases. The birth defect is characterized by a malformed or smaller head and brain and can result in significant developmental delays.
The CDC also released more information about cases of sexually transmitted Zika virus. The agency said after they received 14 reports of possible sexually transmitted Zika virus, they confirmed two cases of this transmission in the lab. Another four probably cases were identified and six investigations are ongoing. In all of these cases, sexual contact occurred shortly before a male partner became symptomatic, according to the CDC.
