In the most recent issue of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, researchers examined 10 actions the agency took in 2016 to protect the public — particularly pregnant women and their fetuses — from the spread of the Zika virus.
Here are 10 significant contributions the CDC made to the fight against Zika in 2016.
1. Issued guidance for travel warning pregnant women not to visit areas experiencing active local Zika transmission.
2. Provided clinical guidance for obstetricians and pediatricians outlining evaluation, testing and clinical management of Zika virus in pregnant women and infants with possible congenital Zika syndrome.
3. Identified sexual transmission of Zika and issued guidance for the prevention of sexual transmission of the virus.
4. Monitored the safety and availability of the blood supply to prevent spread of Zika through transfusions.
5. Developed and distributed laboratory tests for Zika.
6. Established link between Zika infection during pregnancy and the onset of the neurologically debilitating birth defect microcephaly.
7. Surveilled Zika pregnancy outcomes to fully understand the magnitude and risk of fetal birth defects related to the virus.
8. Improved access to contraceptive methods to help prevent unintended pregnancies in areas of active local Zika transmission.
9. Implemented mosquito control strategies in at-risk areas.
10. Worked to better understand the link between Zika infection in adults and the onset of neurological conditions like Guillain-Barré syndrome, which can incite paralysis.
“Fighting Zika is the most complex epidemic response CDC has taken on, requiring expertise ranging from pregnancy and birth defects to mosquito control, from laboratory science to travel policy, from virology to communication science,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD. “CDC experts in every field will continue to protect women and their families from the devastating complications of this threat.”
More articles on the Zika virus:
A large Zika outbreak in the US is not likely — Here’s why
3 things we could learn about Zika in 2017
FDA issues safety alert for Zika tests due to false positives
