Establishing a Timeline to Discontinue Routine Testing of Asymptomatic Pregnant Women for Zika Virus Infection - American Samoa, 2016-2017

• Published in: MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Vol. 66; no. 11; p. 299
• Main Authors: Hancock, W Thane, Soeters, Heidi M, Hills, Susan L, Link-Gelles, Ruth, Evans, Mary E, Daley, W Randolph, Piercefield, Emily, Anesi, Magele Scott, Mataia, Mary Aseta, Uso, Anaise M, Sili, Benjamin, Tufa, Aifili John, Solaita, Jacqueline, Irvin-Barnwell, Elizabeth, Meaney-Delman, Dana, Wilken, Jason, Weidle, Paul, Toews, Karrie-Ann E, Walker, William, Talboy, Phillip M, Gallo, William K, Krishna, Nevin, Laws, Rebecca L, Reynolds, Megan R, Koneru, Alaya, Gould, Carolyn V
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Atlanta U.S. Center for Disease Control 24-03-2017
• Subjects: Clinics; Congenital diseases; Health risk assessment; Infections; Medical laboratories; Mosquitoes; Patients; Womens health; Zika virus; United States > US; American Samoa
• ISSN: 0149-2195; 1545-861X

The first patients with laboratory-confirmed cases of Zika virus disease in American Samoa had symptom onset in January 2016. In response, the American Samoa Department of Health (ASDoH) implemented mosquito control measures, strategies to protect pregnant women, syndromic surveillance based on electronic health record (EHR) reports, Zika virus testing of persons with one or more signs or symptoms of Zika virus disease (fever, rash, arthralgia, or conjunctivitis), and routine testing of all asymptomatic pregnant women in accordance with CDC guidance. All collected blood and urine specimens were shipped to the Hawaii Department of Health Laboratory for Zika virus testing and to CDC for confirmatory testing. Early in the response, collection and testing of specimens from pregnant women was prioritized over the collection from symptomatic nonpregnant patients because of limited testing and shipping capacity. The weekly numbers of suspected Zika virus disease cases declined from an average of six per week in January-February 2016 to one per week in May 2016.