New guidelines regarding the Zika virus warn pregnant women, those who expect to become pregnant and their partners not to have unprotected sex for 28 days after returning from an area affected by the Zika virus.
"That's what we're hearing, and we think that's going to be excellent," said Zachary Thompson, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services.
The new recommendations follow the sexually transmitted case of Zika in Dallas County, and were released Friday morning by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"If they travel into those areas, they should be using condoms when they get back here. They should practice safe sex," said Thompson.
The new guidelines are said to follow those already published in England for pregnant women, those who expect to be pregnant and their partners:
- No unprotected sex for 28 days after returning from an area where Zika is being actively transmitted.
- And no unprotected sex for six months after recovering from a Zika infection.
Pregnant women are already being advised against unnecessary travel to areas affected by Zika. New guidelines include:
- Pregnant women and their male sex partners should discuss potential exposure and history of Zika-like illness with the pregnant woman's health care provider.
- Men with a pregnant sex partner who have been to an area of active Zika virus transmission and their pregnant sex partners should use condoms during sex or abstain from sexual activity.
- Couples in which a man resides in or has traveled to an area of active Zika virus transmission may consider using condoms or abstaining from sexual activity.
CDC officials said it is not yet clear how long the risk should be avoided.
CDC also has updated its interim guidance for healthcare providers in the United States caring for pregnant women and women of reproductive age with possible Zika virus exposure. The updated guidelines recommend that pregnant women without symptoms of Zika virus disease can be offered testing 2 to 12 weeks after returning from areas with ongoing Zika virus transmission.
New recommendations for women who are pregnant or of reproductive age who reside in areas with ongoing Zika virus transmission include:
- For pregnant women experiencing Zika-like symptoms, testing is recommended at the time of illness.
- For pregnant women not experiencing Zika-like symptoms, testing is recommended when women begin prenatal care. Follow-up testing is also recommended.
- For women of reproductive age, healthcare providers should discuss strategies to prevent unintended pregnancy.
- Local health officials will need to determine when to implement testing recommendations for pregnant women without symptoms based on local levels of Zika virus transmission and local laboratory capacity.
