Federal health officials have been changing their test recommendations for expectant women who may be exposed to Zika virus via sex or travel as a result of where they live.

In an updated guidance that was released just recently, CDC no longer recommends routine tests for expectant women who do not display Zika virus symptoms. This stands even if they have been exposed to higher risks after traveling to areas prevalent with the Zika virus.

Many people getting fraudulent Zika reports

The recent guidance shouldn’t be viewed as an assurance that the Zika infections are less harmful to expectant women as this was just a statement by some experts. On the contrary, revised recommendations indicated limitations of regularly used blood check for the Zika virus. Recently, CDC has noted an increased number of fraudulent positive tests results from the United States.

According to the latest CDC report the chances of fraudulent positive test results grow as Zika cases reduce in the United States and as the scientists gain more knowledge about Zika. The officials insisted that expectant women that are faced with the risk of Zika virus after having been exposed to Zika and them that have possible symptoms should proceed with the testing with immediate effect. The symptoms include rash, fever, red eyes and joint pain.

What’s the purpose of the blood test?

This test is aimed at searching for a certain antibody created by the immune system of an individual in order to fight the Zika infection. Scientists today have learnt that the antibodies are liable of staying in a person’s blood for over twelve weeks. That is the reason why tests are sometimes regarded as inefficient in identifying a Zika infection when one is expectant.

The only change in the recommendations is more concerned about some obstetricians who think that the infections will not be found due to routine testing de-emphasis for some expectant women who are asymptomatic.

Most people who have Zika infection cannot display any symptoms or may show mild symptoms. However, an expectant mother who is already infected with Zika virus but does not show any symptom may pass the virus to the developing baby. This causes a series of worse bad defects, for instance, microcephaly, vision problems, hearing and difficulties in swallowing.

There are 1751 pregnancies that are complete in 50 states and the District of Columbia since CDC started tracking the Zika pregnancies. The CDC says that at least ninety-one babies had been born suffering from defects and even 8 pregnancies were miscarried, terminations or stillbirth.

However, Zika cases have reduced considerably and only one hundred and seventy five symptomatic cases were reported in US. CDC officials stated that the new approach is an attempt to try out all the considerations in reducing Zika cases as well as test limitations.

All the same, determining whether an individual is infected with Zika virus is quite hard.  Once a person has been infected, only one type of test can be used to search for Zika virus genetic material but since the genetic material is often eliminated from one’s blood plus tissues and other body fluids in a few days, testing window tends to be narrow.