Case Series of Laboratory-Associated Zika Virus Disease, United States, 2016-2019

• Published in: Emerging infectious diseases Vol. 27; no. 5; pp. 1296 - 1300
• Main Authors: Hills, Susan L, Morrison, Andrea, Stuck, Shawna, Sandhu, Kayleigh, Mason, Krystal L, Stanek, Danielle, Gabel, Julie, Osborne, Matthew A, Schroeder, Betsy A, Rico, Edhelene, Drenzek, Cherie L, Gallagher, Glen R, Fiddner, Jennifer, Heberlein-Larson, Lea A, Brown, Catherine M, Fischer, Marc
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States U.S. National Center for Infectious Diseases 01.05.2021; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Subjects: Americas; Biosafety; Blood transfusions; Case Series of Laboratory-Associated Zika Virus Disease, United States, 2016–2019; Case studies; Fever; Gloves; Health aspects; Humans; Immunization; Infections; Laboratories; laboratory; Laboratory technicians; Medical research; needlestick; Needlestick injuries; occupational; Occupational diseases; Personal protective equipment; Risk factors; Transplants & implants; United States; Urine; Vaccines; Vector-borne diseases; viruses; Work-related injuries; Zika Virus; Zika Virus Infection; zoonoses; Americas; United States; United States > US; Uganda; mosquito-borne diseases; viruses; laboratory; occupational; vector-borne diseases; needlestick; zoonoses; Zika virus; flavivirus
• ISSN: 1080-6040; 1080-6059
• DOI: 10.3201/eid2705.203602

Zika virus diagnostic testing and laboratory research increased considerably when Zika virus began spreading through the Americas in 2015, increasing the risk for potential Zika virus exposure of laboratory workers and biomedical researchers. We report 4 cases of laboratory-associated Zika virus disease in the United States during 2016-2019. Of these, 2 were associated with needlestick injuries; for the other 2 cases, the route of transmission was undetermined. In laboratories in which work with Zika virus is performed, good laboratory biosafety practices must be implemented and practiced to reduce the risk for infection among laboratory personnel.