Two Pregnant Women Who Received False Negatives In Fact Have The Zika Virus
D.C. is having all 409 specimens that tested negative between July and December retested by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention labs, D.C. Department of Forensic Sciences Director Jenifer Smith said.
So far, 62 specimens have been retested, and two came back positive. Those results came in Wednesday.
Zika Virus via CDC
What we know
- Many people infected with Zika virus won’t have symptoms or will only have mild symptoms.
- A blood or urine test can confirm Zika infection diagnosis.
- There is no specific medicine for Zika.
- Zika infection during pregnancy can cause serious birth defects and is associated with other pregnancy problems.
- Several countries that have experienced Zika outbreaks recently have reported increases in people who have Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS).
- Current CDC research suggests that GBS is strongly associated with Zika; however, only a small proportion of people with recent Zika virus infection get GBS.
The patients’ doctors have been contacted. The women have given birth, but the outcome of their pregnancies is unknown.
In January 2016, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued travel guidance on affected countries, including the use of enhanced precautions, and guidelines for pregnant women including considering postponing travel. Other governments or health agencies also issued similar travel warnings, while Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Jamaica advised women to postpone getting pregnant until more is known about the risks. – Wikipedia