Report Describes First Known Case of Zika in U.S. Resident Returning From Costa Rica
February 11, 2016
A report published in Annals of Internal Medicine describes the first known case of Zika virus in a U.S. resident following travel to Costa Rica. The author discusses the traveler's symptoms, what his test results showed, and the health status of the family members who traveled with him.
Zika, a mosquito-borne flavivirus, has rapidly spread through South America, Central America, and the Caribbean since first being recognized in Brazil in 2015. About one in five people infected with Zika will experience fever and flu-like symptoms. The virus is especially dangerous for pregnant women because it is associated with microcephaly, a serious birth defect. Travelers to all areas where Aedes mosquitoes are present should be advised to avoid day-biting mosquitoes to prevent Zika.
