The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has published its first update of guidance to prevent Zika virus transmission through substances of human origin.
Travellers returning from affected areas should consider the following guidance to minimise the risk of Zika virus transmission:
- Female travellers, symptomatic or asymptomatic, should not try to conceive naturally, donate gametes or proceed with fertility treatment for 28 days (shortened from previous deferral of 8 weeks)
- Male travellers, symptomatic or asymptomatic, should not try to conceive naturally, donate gametes or proceed with fertility treatment for six months (this remains unchanged)
The ECDC has also made changes to its guidance regarding donation following sex with a man or woman diagnosed with Zika: The guidance outlines that men should not donate sperm for six months after sexual contact with a man who has been diagnosed with a Zika virus infection in the six months preceding the sexual contact, or after sexual contact with a woman who has been diagnosed with a Zika virus infection in the eight weeks preceding the sexual contact.
As stated previously, sperm donors who have been infected with the Zika virus should be deferred from donation for six months unless the semen tests negative for Zika virus RNA by nucleic acid testing (NAT). NAT testing should be carried out on the semen sample rather than serum as the Zika virus is present in the sperm for a longer period than in whole blood, saliva or urine.