There is no current local transmission of Zika virus in the continental U.S. The last cases of local Zika transmission by mosquitoes in the continental U.S. were in Florida and Texas in 2016-17.
Zika virus is most commonly spread to people through mosquito bites. A pregnant woman recently infected with Zika virus may transmit the virus to her fetus during pregnancy. There have also been limited cases of transmission through sexual contact.
Many people infected with Zika virus won’t have symptoms or will only have mild symptoms.
The most common symptoms are:
- Fever
- Rash
- Headache
- Joint pain
- Conjunctivitis (red eyes)
- Muscle pain
Symptoms can last for several days to a week. People usually don’t get sick enough to go to the hospital, and they very rarely die of Zika. Once a person has been infected with Zika, they are likely to be protected from future infections.
Zika virus disease is generally mild, and severe disease requiring hospitalization and deaths are uncommon.
Zika infection during pregnancy can cause a birth defect of the brain called microcephaly. Other problems noted in infants infected with Zika virus before birth include developmental, vision, hearing, and growth problems.
Rarely, Zika may cause Guillain-Barré syndrome, an uncommon sickness of the nervous system.
No vaccine is currently available. For other prevention tips, visit the CDC.
If you have symptoms of Zika virus infection and have been to an affected area in the past two weeks, contact your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider may test your blood for Zika virus and other similar mosquito‐borne illnesses.
No specific medicine currently exists for Zika virus.