Travel health
Zika Virus
There is no Zika vaccine, so protection comes down to avoiding the day-biting Aedes mosquitoes that carry it. For most people the illness is mild or silent, but infection in pregnancy can harm the baby, so pregnant travellers and couples planning a family need tailored advice before they go.
There is currently no vaccine for Zika Virus. The only reliable protection is avoiding mosquito bites — see our bite-protection guide below.
What is Zika Virus?
Zika is a flavivirus, a close relative of dengue, first identified in Uganda in 1947 and now found in warm parts of Africa, Asia, the Pacific, the Caribbean and Central and South America. It reaches people mainly through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, which feeds mostly in daylight but will also bite after dark, so covering up at dusk is not enough on its own. The same species carry dengue and chikungunya. Zika can also pass between people during sex and from a mother to her unborn baby. These mosquitoes are not found in the UK, so there is no risk at home in Trafford, but a returning traveller can still pass the virus to a partner. For most people Zika is a non-event. The majority never notice they have had it, and those who do become unwell usually get a mild illness of around two to seven days: a temperature, headache, red sore eyes, aching or swollen joints and a rash that may itch. There is no specific treatment; rest, fluids and paracetamol are all nearly everyone needs. Two uncommon complications are what make the virus matter. In pregnancy it can harm the developing baby, causing congenital Zika syndrome, which includes microcephaly (an unusually small head) and problems with the brain, eyesight and hearing, and it is linked to miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth. Rarely, in anyone, it can trigger Guillain-Barré syndrome, where the immune system attacks the nerves. With no jab and no preventive tablet, what we offer at our clinic in Timperley is judgement rather than an injection: checking whether your destination currently has Zika transmission, working out what that means if you are pregnant or hoping to be, and sending you off with the right repellent and a bite-avoidance routine that runs from breakfast to bedtime.
Where is there a risk of Zika Virus?
Zika circulates across the tropics: parts of Central and South America, the Caribbean, sub-Saharan Africa, South and South-East Asia and the Pacific islands. The picture shifts year to year, so this page deliberately avoids a fixed country list. TravelHealthPro, the UK's national travel health service, grades each country as 'risk', 'very low risk' or 'negligible risk' for Zika; the pregnancy and conception advice here applies to 'risk' destinations only. To check a particular country, read the 'Other risks' and 'Outbreaks' sections of its TravelHealthPro country page, which NaTHNaC updates as the picture changes. We go through it with you at your appointment. Towns and resorts carry risk as well as the countryside, because Aedes mosquitoes breed close to where people live; a city break is not automatically safer than a rural trip. Large outbreaks like that of 2015 and 2016 are the exception. In most affected countries transmission ticks along at a low level, which still counts as 'risk' for someone who is pregnant.
Who is at risk of Zika Virus?
Anyone who visits a 'risk' country can catch Zika, and a city break counts as much as a jungle trek, because Aedes mosquitoes live close to people and bite through the day. What differs is what the infection means for you. For a healthy adult who is not pregnant and not trying for a baby, it is usually a mild illness or none at all, and the task is simply good bite protection, which covers dengue and chikungunya too. The people who need a proper conversation are pregnant women, couples hoping to conceive in the months after a trip, and their partners. Infection in pregnancy can cause congenital Zika syndrome, so UK advice is that a pregnant woman should consider postponing non-essential travel to a destination with an active outbreak, and should discuss any trip to a 'risk' country with a healthcare professional first. Because the virus lingers in semen longer than in the female genital tract, the condom and conception advice runs longer for men than for women. Longer stays and repeat trips add up to more bites, and anyone with a weakened immune system should be assessed individually. If you are travelling from Altrincham, Sale or Hale and any of this applies to you, book a consultation before you fix your dates.
What are the symptoms of Zika Virus?
No symptoms at all: most people who catch Zika never realise they have had it
A high temperature (fever)
Headache, sometimes with lower back pain
Sore, red eyes (conjunctivitis)
Aching muscles and painful, sometimes swollen, joints
A rash, which can be itchy
When symptoms do appear they are usually mild and settle within around 2 to 7 days
Rarely, Guillain-Barré syndrome in the weeks afterwards: the NHS says call 999 or go to A&E if, after travel to a Zika risk country, you get numbness, pins and needles, muscle weakness or pain in your feet and hands that spreads to your arms and legs
In pregnancy, feeling well does not rule out infection: the NHS advises an urgent GP appointment, or NHS 111, on return even without symptoms
Bite avoidance
Spread by daytime mosquito bites
Zika Virus is spread by Aedes mosquitoes, which bite mainly during the day. Avoiding mosquito bites is a key part of your protection. Daytime bite protection matters: use 40–50% DEET repellent, cover up and keep bites off from morning through to dusk.
FAQ
Zika Virus — frequently asked questions
Prevention is your best defence against Zika Virus
There's no vaccine, so avoiding mosquito bites is essential — we'll give you a personalised plan for your trip.
Learn more
Trusted resources
Authoritative guidance on Zika Virus from leading public health bodies.
