The Florida Department of Health (Florida Health) confirmed yesterday that there was another case of locally spread Zika in Miami, this time outside of the Wynwood neighborhood. This brings the total locally transmitted cases to 15.
Natalie Spindle, a public information office for Florida Health, said investigations into the origins of the new case were still ongoing this morning.
"We still believe active transmission is only occurring in Wynwood," she told CIDRAP News. "But this case comes from outside of that neighborhood. We're doing questioning now and will let everyone know when we have more answers."
Local transmission of Zika virus was first confirmed late last week in the Wynwood neighborhood just north of downtown Miami. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a travel advisory on Monday, warning pregnant women to stay away from that area.
In addition to local transmission, there have been 336 cases of travel-related Zika in Florida, and 55 cases in pregnant women. Infection with Zika during pregnancy can lead to severe birth defects, including microcephaly.
In a daily update yesterday, Florida Health said officials were testing people living in a 150-meter radius around known cases. Aedes mosquitoes are not known to travel more than 150 meters. Florida Health said officials are still going door to door in Wynwood to gather samples and inform community members about mosquito prevention.
In light of the new case, the CDC and Florida Health said yesterday they will begin aerial spraying with naled, an insecticide, in Miami. While naled is safe and effective in spraying against some types of mosquitoes, critics have warned that it does little to deter Aedes. But CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, MPH, said in an Aug 1 news conference that ground spraying has been infective in reducing Aedes populations in Miami.
"Aerial treatment of areas with products that rapidly reduce both young and adult mosquitoes is a possible way to limit the number of mosquitoes that carry the Zika virus," Benjamin Haynes, a CDC spokesman, told CIDRAP News today.
Spraying was supposed to begin today in a 10-mile area around Wynwood, but it was canceled because of weather, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez said in a statement. The mosquito-control team will try again tonight or tomorrow morning.
Human trials to begin on NIH vaccine
In related news, today the National Institutes of Health announced the launch of a phase 1 clinical trial of VRC 319, a Zika vaccine candidate. The trial will test safety and immune response in 80 healthy adults at three sites in the United States. Results are expected in January 2017.
"NIAID worked expeditiously to ready a vaccine candidate, and results in animal testing have been very encouraging. We are pleased that we are now able to proceed with this initial study in people. Although it will take some time before a vaccine against Zika is commercially available, the launch of this study is an important step forward," said National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Directory Anthony Fauci, MD in a statement.
VRC 319 is a DNA vaccine and does not contain the Zika virus. Instead, it contains plasmid, a small circular piece of DNA, that's injected into a participant's arm. The genetic information triggers the body to make Zika virus proteins. The proteins illicit an immune system response, triggering virus-neutralizing antibodies in participants.
"A team of scientists here at NIAID worked tirelessly to rapidly develop this vaccine for clinical testing," said John Mascola, MD, director of NIAID's Vaccine Research Center. "DNA or gene-based vaccines induce antibodies, but they also can activate the cell-mediated immune response, which ultimately could yield strong and durable protection against disease."
Travel, mosquito, military developments
- The CDC announced a travel restriction today to Antigua and Barbuda as well as to Turks and Caicos Islands. Travelers recently returning from the islands have sexually transmitted the Zika virus, according to a CDC statement. The level 2 travel notice recommends practicing "enhanced precautions," including avoiding nonessential travel if you are pregnant, or you or your partner wants to get pregnant in the near future.
- The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) published two new maps today showing Aedes mosquito activities in Europe. The maps show where Ae albopictus and Ae aegypti population have been found. Both mosquitoes can transmit viruses, including Zika and dengue. The EDCD said in a news release that there are reports of Ae aegypti in Turkey, and established Ae albopictus populations in Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Italy and Turkey.
- Thirty-three US military service members, including one pregnant woman, have been diagnosed as having Zika virus infection, according to the Pentagon. At least six family members of the servicemen and women contracted Zika. Since about 80% of Zika cases are unreported and asymptomatic, the total number of military personnel infected is probably much higher, the Pentagon said.
See also:
Aug 2 Florida Health update
Aug 2 Miami-Dade County release on spraying
Aug 3 Mayor Gimenez's statement
Aug 3 NIH press release
CDC's Zika travel information
