CDC releases new information on blood, tissue samples from areas with active Zika transmission

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently updated its epidemiological information to its website regarding Zika virus, which includes implications to the blood and tissue collection community.

The new information includes data about areas with potential increased risk to blood and tissue safety that were identified from previous donations. Specifically, the potential increased risk currently affects individuals in Florida’s Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties, starting from June 15, 2016.

The CDC said the notification of potential increased risk to blood, tissue, and semen safety stems from an abundance of caution so patients can make informed reproductive choices. The risk, however, was deemed small enough that no regulatory action from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was required.

According to the CDC, Miami-Dade county has been designated as an area of active transmission for the purposes of blood and tissue safety intervention since July 29, 2016. The additional two counties were identified as a potential risk based on the movement of the population between all three counties.

In its notice, the CDC identified risk factors for Zika transmission including residence in or travel to a known area of Zika transmission and sex with a male known to reside in an area of active transmission.

The agency noted the situation would be frequently monitored and will update the public as soon as more information becomes available.