Diagnosis and reporting
Clinicians are advised to consider the possibility of ZIKV in patients presenting with a febrile illness on return from countries with a risk of ZIKV or whose sexual partner has returned from these countries, in the last two months if it's a female partner or three months if it's a male partner. This is particularly important for women of childbearing age who are, or may be pregnant. The risk of ZIKV is detailed on the individual country pages of TRAVAX.
Any requests for testing have to be directed to PHE's Rare and imported pathogens laboratory (RIPL).
Sample testing advice can be found on the PHE website. Testing should only be undertaken in those with current or a history of, symptoms. Clinicians ordering tests for patients with a relevant travel history should be explicit in requesting ZIKV testing and should indicate the country and region of travel on the RIPL request form P1 and whether pregnant, partner pregnant and gestation. Clinicians should send samples to the local laboratory who will carry out appropriate procedures and forward samples.
Clinicians should liaise with obstetric colleagues to raise awareness and ensure appropriate investigations and counselling are in place for pregnant patients with a relevant travel history. Negative serology taken four weeks after the last possible exposure to ZIKV, excludes infection. Negative antibody results indicate they do not require extra fetal ultrasound follow-up, unless there are additional concerns. This is arranged through obstetric services.
If help is required with the risk assessment and diagnosis of ZIKV in an individual in Scotland advice should be sought from the local infectious disease consultant.
Reporting of ZIKV in Scotland is through our organisation. For the rest of the UK this is directly through PHE.