CDC Recommends Maintaining Standard Precautions in Labor and Delivery Settings to Limit Potential Contact with Zika Virus

​Although Zika virus is primarily transmitted through mosquito bites, its RNA has been detected in body fluids and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasized that providers in labor and delivery settings should maintain standard precautions in order to protect themselves and their patients. Zika virus transmission has been discovered in 32 countries and territories in the Americas, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Most persons infected with the virus are asymptomatic or experience mild illness, CDC said, but increasing evidence points to an association between Zika virus and adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. Sexual transmission of Zika virus has been documented, CDC said, and its RNA has been found in blood, urine, saliva, and amniotic fluid.