Last updated:\u00a03\/30\/2017<\/p>\n
Some\u00a0travelers have expressed concern over the spread of the Zika virus. Together with our partners at WorldStrides, we sat down with WorldStrides Medical Director Dr. Christopher Lang when the concerns started in 2016 and have been providing updates since to answer some commonly-asked questions:<\/p>\n
Q: Zika is getting extensive media coverage, with more and more countries added to the CDC list of impacted destinations.\u00a0The underlying question from schools is, \u201cIs it safe to travel?\u201d<\/em><\/strong> Q:\u00a0We know that pregnant women or those who may be pregnant are being advised to reconsider their travel plans to Zika-impacted countries. Are there other types of travelers who should reconsider travel?<\/em><\/strong> Q:\u00a0If a healthy non-pregnant adult or teen contracts Zika, what are the typical symptoms and duration?<\/em><\/strong> Q:\u00a0Are there more serious side effects? How frequently do these occur and how severe are these?<\/em><\/strong> Guillain-Barr\u00e9 syndrome (GBS) is a rare disorder where a person\u2019s own immune system damages the nerve cells, causing muscle weakness and sometimes, paralysis. These symptoms can last a few weeks or several months. While most people fully recover from GBS, some people have permanent damage and in rare cases, people have died.<\/em><\/p>\n We do not know if the Zika virus infection causes GBS. It is difficult to determine if any particular germ \u201ccauses\u201d GBS. The Brazil Ministry of Health (MOH) is reporting an increased number of people affected with GBS. CDC is collaborating with the Brazil MOH to determine if having Zika makes it more likely you will get GBS.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n There is not a definitive link between Zika and GBS. However, increased rates of GBS are now being investigated. There are many viruses that can cause GBS. Zika is being investigated as yet another that can be a trigger.<\/p>\n Q:\u00a0Can I catch Zika from\u00a0an infected co-traveler, or only from mosquitoes?<\/em><\/strong> Q:\u00a0I understand that Zika presents outward symptoms in only 20% of cases. Does this mean I can travel, get Zika from an infected mosquito, and not even know it?<\/em><\/strong> Q:\u00a0How long does Zika stay in the body? Could I return to the U.S. with a Zika infection that I don\u2019t know about and carry the disease around for weeks or months?<\/em><\/strong> Q:\u00a0What precautions should I take upon return from travel, with or without Zika symptoms? Should I get tested for Zika when I return?<\/em><\/strong> Q: I am a female\u00a0chaperone and am not pregnant. Am I at risk of infecting my partner after I return? Also, how long should I wait after the return of the trip before it is okay to try to conceive?<\/em><\/strong> Q: I am a\u00a0male chaperone and my non-traveling partner is not pregnant.\u00a0\u00a0Am I at risk of infecting my partner after I return? Also, how long should we wait after the return of the trip before it is okay to try to conceive?<\/em><\/strong> Q:\u00a0The best approach, I\u2019m sure, is to avoid mosquito bites in the first place. What are the best recommendations for this?<\/em><\/strong> Q:\u00a0Where can I obtain more information on the progression of Zika?<\/em><\/strong> In addition to Dr. Lang\u2019s information above, our Risk Management partners at iJet<\/strong> <\/a>maintain extensive Zika information.<\/p>\n We hope you find this information helpful and we will update our blog as new facts emerge.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Last updated:\u00a03\/30\/2017 Some\u00a0travelers have expressed concern over the spread of the Zika virus. Together with our partners at WorldStrides, we sat down with WorldStrides Medical Director Dr. Christopher Lang when the concerns started in 2016 and have been providing updates since to answer some commonly-asked questions: Q: Zika is getting extensive media coverage, with more Read More …<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[12,26404,343590],"class_list":["post-6186","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-explorica-news","tag-travel-tips","tag-update","tag-zika"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6186","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6186"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6186\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6850,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6186\/revisions\/6850"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6186"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6186"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6186"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nDr. Lang: <\/strong>Yes. It is very safe to travel\u00a0if you are not pregnant. The virus itself can show no symptoms in up to 80% of the population. The people who do express symptoms are experiencing your typical viral-type syndrome\u2014fever, body aches, congestion, and conjunctivitis. There are no current anti-viral therapies, so the recommended self-care is what you would typically do for a virus: Tylenol, fluids, and rest. The virus typically resolves itself with no further complications.<\/p>\n
\nDr. Lang: <\/strong>No. We always caution people who have medical conditions or medications that weaken their immune system to be cautious in travel. These people should talk to their healthcare provider prior to travel. The rest of the population should have no worries.<\/p>\n
\nDr. Lang: <\/strong>Fever, body aches,\u00a0congestion, and conjunctivitis are the most common symptoms, and typically they last from a couple of days to a week. In general, these symptoms are less severe than with other mosquito-borne viruses.<\/p>\n
\nDr. Lang: <\/strong>This virus is considered fairly weak, so the overwhelming majority who contract it should have the typical viral symptoms and then get better. With any virus, there is always a risk that you can get a secondary infection and thus complicate your recovery. This is very rare. There has been some discussion about whether there is any\u00a0increased prevalence of\u00a0Guillain-Barr\u00e9 syndrome if infected with Zika. Please see below the comments from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):<\/p>\n
\nDr. Lang: <\/strong>Until recently, there was no other known method of transmission outside of a mosquito. There have been a small number of cases that have been investigated and concluded high probability of transmission via sexual contact. Still,\u00a0it appears that human-to-human transmission is very rare.<\/p>\n
\nDr. Lang:\u00a0<\/strong>Yes. The majority of people will never know they are infected and will never exhibit any signs or symptoms of infection.<\/p>\n
\nDr. Lang: <\/strong>Typically, Zika stays in the body for 7-10 days (similar to other viruses), and as noted above, does not always show symptoms.\u00a0However, there is still ongoing research on the\u00a0potential of the virus remaining in the\u00a0system (either blood or bodily fluids) for a\u00a0longer duration.<\/p>\n
\nDr. Lang:\u00a0<\/strong>Currently there are no precautions necessary upon return, although if you live in an area with a mosquito population you should continue to use insect repellent for 7-10 days upon your return. This is to prevent spread in the small chance you were exposed. The CDC is recommending that travelers should not be tested unless they are high risk. This is because the symptoms are generally mild and clear the system quite quickly.<\/p>\n
\nDr. Lang: <\/strong>Most\u00a0human-to-human transmission to date has been from male to female, though in July the first case of female to male transmission was documented. The current guidance is that you wait at least 62 days before trying to conceive, or six months if you display any Zika symptoms (rash, fever, red eyes, painful joints) during or shortly after the return from your trip. It is highly\u00a0recommended that you\u00a0discuss with your medical provider when you decide to conceive.<\/p>\n
\nDr. Lang: <\/strong>Currently, it is believed that the virus can last several weeks in males.\u00a0 Therefore the recommendation would be to talk to discuss with your medical provider with both of those questions.<\/p>\n
\nDr. Lang:\u00a0<\/strong>We recommend long-sleeved shirts, long pants, socks, and mosquito repellents with DEET.<\/p>\n
\nDr. Lang:<\/strong>\u00a0There are several helpful pages on the CDC website you can reference.\u00a0 All are regularly updated.<\/p>\n\n