Zika Virus Successfully Diagnosed From Semen
Research presented at ASM Microbe 2017 by experts at the Fertility and Cryogenics Lab shows a reliable clinical assay that can detect the Zika virus from semen samples.
"This assay can help reduce Zika infection rates and allow couples who are identified at risk due to travel or geographic location plan their pregnancy," said lead author Hisham Greiss MD, PhD, HCLD, at the Fertility and Cryogenics Lab.
A total of 100 semen samples were spiked with a recombinant Accuplex ZIKV (SeraCare Life Sciences) at five viral copies per ml and processed in Aptima Urine Transport medium (Hologic Inc.) and tested using Aptima® ZIKV assay released under the FDA's emergency use authorization on the fully automated Panther system from Hologic, Inc. The samples were also tested for West Nile Virus, Chagas and Dengue, recombinant Dengue Virus, recombinant Chikungunya Virus, Human Papilloma Virus, Herpes Simplex Virus 1, Herpes Simplex Virus 2, Chlamydia, and Gonorrhea. The experiment was repeated three times and in triplicates each time.
The assay was found to be 100 percent sensitive and 100 percent specific to ZIKV RNA from semen samples with a limit of detection of five viral copies per mL of semen.
Zika fever symptoms are often misdiagnosed due to its nonspecific clinical symptoms, so an accurate diagnosis is of paramount importance for management of the disease and to prevent neonatal infections. Zika infection during pregnancy can also cause serious birth defects and is associated with other pregnancy problems.
Source: American Society for Microbiology
CDC Urges Vigilance: New Recommendations for Monitoring and Testing H5N1 Exposures
July 11th 2025With avian influenza A(H5N1) infections surfacing in both animals and humans, the CDC has issued updated guidance calling for aggressive monitoring and targeted testing to contain the virus and protect public health.
IP LifeLine: Layoffs and the Evolving Job Market Landscape for Infection Preventionists
July 11th 2025Infection preventionists, once hailed as indispensable during the pandemic, now face a sobering reality: budget pressures, hiring freezes, and layoffs are reshaping the field, leaving many IPs worried about their future and questioning their value within health care organizations.
A Helping Hand: Innovative Approaches to Expanding Hand Hygiene Programs in Acute Care Settings
July 9th 2025Who knew candy, UV lights, and a college kid in scrubs could double hand hygiene adherence? A Pennsylvania hospital’s creative shake-up of its infection prevention program shows that sometimes it takes more than soap to get hands clean—and keep them that way.
