Zika Virus Disease

About Zika Virus Disease

A black and white Aedes mosquito resting on a person's hand.

Zika is a disease caused by a virus that is mostly spread through the bite of a special type of mosquito, the Aedes mosquito. While Aedes mosquitoes have been found in Los Angeles County, we have not found any mosquitoes infected with Zika virus. To date, all cases of Zika in Los Angeles County acquired their infection when traveling outside of California.

Travelers may be at risk of infections spread through mosquito bites while traveling outside Los Angeles County. Review the CDC’s Zika Recommendations for Travelers and People Living Abroad for destination-specific risk and prevention measures.

Transmission

Zika virus can spread from:

Symptoms of Zika Virus Infection

Most people infected with Zika virus will not have symptoms or will have mild symptoms. If a person has symptoms, they can last up to a week. The most common symptoms of Zika infection are:

Complications of Zika infection can include Guillain-Barré Syndrome in adults and infant abnormalities if Zika occurs during pregnancy. Guillain-Barré is an immune-mediated disorder of the nervous system. Only a small percentage of people with recent Zika infection have reportedly developed this disorder. Zika has also been associated with other neurological complications including encephalitis, transverse myelitis and polyneuropathy.

Zika infection during pregnancy can cause severe infant birth defects including abnormal brain development which can result in microcephaly or smaller than expected head size. Zika is also linked to other adverse outcomes such as miscarriage and stillbirth.

Prevention

Because there is no vaccine to prevent Zika infection, and because Zika virus is not currently identified in mosquitos in Los Angeles County, it is important to avoid mosquito bites when traveling to countries with ongoing Zika transmission. Plan for travel outside of the US by reviewing the CDC’s Zika travel guidance.

ACDC is responsible for monitoring and addressing human health problems in Los Angeles County but does not manage mosquito surveillance and control activities. This important action is under the control of the county’s five independent vector control districts. The Long Beach Health Department also operates its own mosquito control program.

Vector Control District Contacts

To report a potential mosquito breeding situation or find more information about mosquitoes, please contact the appropriate Vector Control District or city public health department.

Additional information: SoCalMosquito.org

Protect Yourself During Sex

Zika can spread through unprotected sex from a person who is infected to his or her partner. Men should use condoms or abstain from sex for 3 months from diagnosis of Zika infection or travel to an area with active Zika transmission. Women should take sexual precautions for 8 weeks after diagnosis or travel.

Diagnosis and Testing

Diagnosis of Zika infection is based on a person’s recent travel history, symptoms, and test results. A blood and/or urine test can confirm a Zika infection.

See your doctor if you develop symptoms of Zika infection and have recently traveled to an area with recent transmission of Zika, or if you had sex without a condom with a person who lives in or traveled to an area with recent transmission of Zika. Be sure to tell your doctor where you have traveled and when you have returned. A blood or urine test can confirm a Zika infection. Testing is important if you are pregnant or the partner of a pregnant woman.

Treatment

There is no specific medicine for Zika virus. The only course is to treat the symptoms:

Information for Clinicians and Healthcare Professionals

CDC Clinical and Laboratory Guidance for Providers

If unable to obtain commercial testing, the LAC DPH Public Health Laboratory (PHL) provides screening and confirmatory testing for Zika and related arboviral infections; however, pre-approval is required. All requests for Zika virus testing must be made by calling the Acute Communicable Disease Control Program (ACDC) at 213-240-7941 (Business Hours) or 213-974-1234 (After Hours).

A standard laboratory submittal form must be completed and accompany the specimen(s). To request Zika testing, indicate “Zika PCR” in the Title 17/Other text box. Each specimen must be labeled with the patient’s name and a second identifier (date of birth or medical record number), date of collection, and specimen type. Include a copy of previous test results and any pertinent patient history with the specimen, including the onset date. Send specimens by courier or overnight shipper using the appropriate transport conditions for the specimen type. Ship packages Monday-Thursday to avoid weekend deliveries. Frozen specimens should be shipped on dry ice. Detailed specimen collection instructions can be found in the PHL test catalog. PHL does not charge the submitter for these services.

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