Announcements : Zika Virus Travel Guidance

Disseminated via Managing@Duke on January 28, 2016 to all Vice Presidents, Vice Provosts, Deans, Directors, Department Heads, and Managers; See Frequently Asked Questions re: Zika at http://sites.duke.edu/zika/

FROM:  Kyle Cavanaugh, Vice President for Administration, Emergency Coordinator
              Cameron Wolfe, MD, Division for Infectious Diseases

RE:  Zika Virus Travel Guidance

You have likely seen news reports about the Zika virus that is spreading throughout Central and South America and the Caribbean. Zika is a virus transmitted to humans via mosquito bites. It is similar to Dengue Fever and is transmitted by the same mosquito. While no cases have been reported in North Carolina to date, incoming reports indicate that the virus has been actively transmitted in certain U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and has been identified in returning travelers in other states. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued travel guidance regarding this mosquito-borne virus.

Only about one in five people infected with the Zika virus will develop symptoms, which can include fever, rash, joint and muscle pains, and less commonly, headache and pain behind the eyes. The illness is usually mild, with symptoms lasting from several days to a week. The most significant concern is for pregnant women who become infected, as there is growing evidence that the Zika  virus appears to be associated with microcephaly (small head and brain development) in newborns and other adverse pregnancy outcomes in women infected during pregnancy. The extent of pregnancy complications is a subject of continued research at this time.

There are currently no vaccines or treatments for this virus; the only way to prevent infection is to avoid being bitten by infected mosquitos. Women in any trimester of pregnancy should consider canceling or postponing travel to areas where the Zika virus is present . If travel cannot be avoided, pregnant women should consult with their physician before their trip to discuss the risks of Zika and similar illnesses and should be sure to take strict precautionary measures to prevent mosquito bites. Additionally, until we know more about the virus and how it impacts pregnancy, women who are considering becoming pregnant should follow these same precautionary guidelines.
The following steps can be taken to help prevent mosquito bites:

• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
• Use EPA-registered insect repellents as directed.
• Insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, and IR3535 are safe for pregnant and nursing women and children older than 2 months when used according to their labels.
• Use permethrin-treated clothing and gear (e.g. boots, pants, socks, and tents).
• Stay and sleep in screened-in or air-conditioned rooms, and/or sleep under a mosquito bed net.

If you are pregnant and have traveled to a country reporting active transmission of Zika, the CDC is recommending that you see your physician for counseling and testing. The CDC interim guidelines for pregnant women and their health care providers are now available. Information and guidelines change frequently, so continue to check this CDC website if you are in an at-risk group and your travel plans cannot be modified. For general updated information on Zika, go to http://www.cdc.gov/zika/.

If you have further clinical questions, feel free to contact one of these resources:

• Employee Occupational Health and Wellness (919-684-3136, option 2 and ask for employee resource nurse), or after hours use emergency hotline (919-684-8115).
• Duke Student Health (919-681-9355).
• The Division of Infectious Disease also has faculty members ready to assist in evaluating clinical situations.  (on-call pager: 919-970-3885).

Duke will continue to monitor the situation. Please share this memo with travelers who visit destinations in these regions and let us know if you, or travelers within your unit/department, have additional questions or concerns.

Managing@Duke is an electronic memo distributed to university managers to inform, support and enable them to fulfill their supervisory roles at Duke.  For more information, visit: https://www.hr.duke.edu/managers/memos/index.php