Zika testing ‘is not great,’ says provincial health officer
Posted February 9, 2016 7:32 am.
Last Updated February 9, 2016 7:58 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – As people search for answers to concerns over the Zika virus, one of BC’s top doctors admits there are some limitations when it comes to testing.
“There is confusion because the testing isn’t very good and we have yet to develop a really specific test that can tell us for sure whether somebody is infected or not,” says Dr. Bonnie Henry, the deputy provincial health officer.
Pregnant women are advised to see their family doctor who can then confer with specialists at the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC).
Henry says doctors are still learning about the mosquito-borne virus, which was first isolated in 1947.
“The bottom line is the testing right now is not great. You need to have a reason for that test and it needs to be done in consultation with people who can help interpret the test for you,” says Henry.
She says things will improve as the science evolves, adding for most people, the Zika is not a big deal.
“For most people who’ve come back, I would tell them don’t worry about it at all. If you get a fever and a rash, and are feeling unwell, then yes, you might have Zika virus. There is a test for it. The challenge is the testing is not that great yet, we don’t know how well it works,” says Henry.
That’s because the current testing can be compromised by other infections and the results can be misleading.
She cautions for most people, it’s not a big deal — just wait around three weeks and you should be over it, even if you don’t have symptoms.
