[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2016\/07\/zika-pennsylvania-prevention\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2016\/07\/zika-pennsylvania-prevention\/","headline":"Zika in Pennsylvania? Preventing Zika at Home","name":"Zika in Pennsylvania? Preventing Zika at Home","description":"The risk of contracting the virus in Pennsylvania is \u201chighly unlikely,\u201d according to officials at Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC.","datePublished":"2016-07-16","dateModified":"2019-04-18","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/women-regions","name":"UPMC Magee-Womens","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/women-regions","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/upmc-magee-womens-hospital\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Zika-in-PA.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Zika-in-PA.jpg","height":527,"width":791},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2016\/07\/zika-pennsylvania-prevention\/","about":["Family Health"],"wordCount":447,"keywords":["Birth Defects","infection","Mosquito-borne illness","zika virus"],"articleBody":"This article was last updated August 2, 2016Check back in with the UPMC HealthBeat blog for news and updates on the Zika virusEven as the number of Zika cases grows internationally, the risk of contracting the virus Pennsylvania is \u201chighly unlikely,\u201d according to officials at Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC.More than a dozen Pennsylvania women have been diagnosed with the Zika virus \u2014 a mosquito-borne illness linked to a variety of birth defects. But none of these women have contracted the virus locally via a mosquito, said Richard Beigi, MD, vice president for medical affairs and chief medical officer at Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC.Dr. Beigi said a locally contracted case of Zika would almost certainly garner national attention.\u201cIt would not be kept a secret,\u201d Dr. Beigi said. \u201cThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state health department would certainly be involved. And we would start by summarizing our information on the virus and sending it out to our [UPMC] hospitals and providers.\u201dTesting for the Zika VirusSymptoms of Zika are similar to Dengue and Chikungunya \u2014 and often do not appear at all. In fact, only one in four people with Zika will develop symptoms.Several tests are commonly used to detect Zika:A real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction or rRT-PCR, to be conducted within a week of contractionA simple blood test for antibodies made after infectionIn some areas, urine testing may be availableFor pregnant women, an ultrasound would be performed during the second trimester to determine if the unborn baby has developed any birth defects that may be associated with Zika.Zika has no cure or vaccine. People diagnosed with the condition must work alongside a health care provider to find the best course of treatment.RELATED:\u00a0Zika Vaccine? Learn About Pitt’s Zika BreakthroughProtecting Yourself from ZikaThe best way for pregnant or soon-to-be pregnant women to prevent Zika contraction is to avoid travel to affected areas and follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.As of August 2016, the CDC has issued one travel warning within the United States. Pregnant women are advised to avoid travel to the Miami-area community of Wynwood, where the virus may be circulating.\u201cThe basic guideline is don\u2019t travel to an area with Zika unless you have to,\u201d Dr. Beigi said. \u201cIf you have to travel, do everything possible to avoid mosquito bites.\u201dWear bug repellent and stay indoors to the extent possibleEliminate standing water around your homeWear long-sleeve clothing if you do go outsideConsult a doctor if you develop symptoms, particularly after traveling to a Zika-affected areaRead our guide on preventing mosquito bites for more details."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2016","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2016\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"07","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2016\/\/07\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Zika in Pennsylvania? Preventing Zika at Home","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2016\/07\/zika-pennsylvania-prevention\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]