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Zika Infection Confirmed in Kentucky Infant

Creative Commons

Public health officials in Lexington say the Zika virus has been confirmed in an infant born to a woman who traveled during pregnancy to an area where the virus is circulating.

According to news media reports, test results from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate the infant was exposed to the virus in the womb. Health officials say neither mother nor child is capable of spreading the virus to others or to mosquitoes in the area.

The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department says even though the infant's mother never described symptoms of illness, antibodies against Zika found in her infant suggest maternal infection during an early stage of pregnancy.

Health officials say the infant doesn't have obvious physical abnormalities, but close follow-up and testing is recommended.

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