The Zika virus has arrived in the United States, with mosquitoes in South Florida spreading the virus. It causes birth defects in babies born to pregnant women, the CDC says.
That agency has issued travel warnings for pregnant women in countries where the disease is spreading. But the CDC says cases in Florida are not expected to be explosive or widespread.
The virus is mainly spread by mosquitoes, although some cases are sexually transmitted.
What is Zika? How can you avoid it? WebMD answers your questions.
The Zika virus, first identified in Uganda in 1947, is transmitted by the same type of mosquito that carries dengue fever, yellow fever, and chikungunya virus. A mosquito bites an infected person and then passes those viruses to other people it bites. Outbreaks did not occur outside of Africa until 2007, when it spread to the South Pacific.
The CDC has confirmed Zika can spread through sex, usually after a person traveled to an area where Zika has broken out, got the virus, and gave the virus to a sex partner who did not travel. Infected women and men can both pass the virus to sex partners -- even if they haven’t shown symptoms of infection, the CDC says.
The CDC is aware of a report that Brazilian scientists have found the virus in the saliva and urine of infected people, CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, told reporters, but more information is needed.
What are the symptoms of Zika?
The disease can cause fever, rash, joint pain, and redness in the whites of the eye. But most people won’t know they have it.
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