About Zika Virus Testing
If you are a patient who has traveled to an area with a risk of Zika, see your doctor or other health care provider for testing information. This is especially important if you are pregnant. To learn more about Zika or about traveling to areas where Zika is present, visit the pages on the sidebar.
For patients who meet certain criteria, fee-exempt laboratory testing is currently performed by the Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene (WSLH) for Zika virus, with confirmatory testing performed by CDC.
All requests for Zika virus testing must be approved by a Division of Public Health (DPH) communicable diseases epidemiologist.
For more information on Zika testing, contact:
Bureau of Communicable Diseases
Phone: 608-267-9003
Fax: 608-261-4976
Send an email
The Department of Health Services (DHS) develops criteria for fee-exempt testing based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations. Please see the August 8, 2017, memo for more information on the most recent updates. For additional details on current CDC Zika virus testing recommendations, please see the Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Review (MMWR) published on July 24, 2017, and visit the CDC website.
Symptomatic Patients:
At least one of the following signs and symptoms - arthralgia, conjunctivitis, rash or fever:
- History of travel to area(s) with a risk of Zika within two weeks of illness onset
OR - Unprotected sexual contact within two weeks of illness onset with a partner who traveled to area(s) with a risk of Zika.
Asymptomatic Pregnant Patients with Ongoing Exposure:
Ongoing exposure is defined as unavoidable travel to area(s) with a risk of Zika daily, weekly, or monthly.
*Asymptomatic pregnant women without ongoing exposure DO NOT meet criteria for fee-exempt testing. If Zika virus testing is desired for these patients, please consult your laboratory manager to pursue testing through a private lab.
At this time, DPH is not performing Zika testing on asymptomatic patients for the purposes of preconception screening. For additional information, see the CDC guidance “Testing Recommendations for Non-Pregnant Women and Men”
All requests for Zika virus testing must be approved by a Wisconsin DPH communicable diseases epidemiologist.
For more information on Zika testing, contact:
Bureau of Communicable Diseases
Phone: 608-267-9003
Fax: 608-261-4976
Send an email
Information required for approval of fee-exempt Zika virus testing:
- History of vaccinations for Yellow fever or Japanese encephalitis
- History of diagnosis of Dengue illness
- Any recent hospitalization
- Dates of symptom onset and specimen collection
- Travel destinations to area(s) with a risk of Zika, including dates of travel
- Recollection of insect bites during travel
- Date of first and last unprotected sexual encounter with a traveler to area(s) with a risk of Zika, including travel destination and dates of travel
- Patient demographics
- Health care provider contact information
If testing is approved, a DPH epidemiologist will fax you a copy of the completed fee-exempt submission form. This completed form should accompany the specimen being sent to the Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene (WSLH). Note that the approved submission forms are only faxed to providers during regular business hours (Monday through Friday from 7:45 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.).
If a patient is seen during non-business hours, specimens can be collected and held refrigerated until the next business day when a DPH epidemiologist is available.
Information Required for Approval of Fee-Exempt Zika Virus Testing, P-01804 (PDF)
Detailed instructions for laboratories, P-01599 (PDF)
Types of specimens that are currently acceptable for Zika virus diagnostic testing include:
- Serum
- Urine
- CSF
- Amniotic fluid - collected after 15 weeks of gestation
CDC is evaluating other specimens, such as semen and saliva, for potential diagnostic use, but current diagnostic tests aren't validated for their use.
Note: CDC recommends that symptomatic patients be tested for dengue and chikungunya viruses at the same time they are tested for Zika virus. DPH approval for Zika virus testing will also encompass approval for testing for those viruses. CDC memo on testing for these viruses (PDF)
Additional testing information - WSLH
Interactive Algorithm Tool for Pregnancy and Zika Testing - CDC
This is a Wisconsin disease surveillance category II disease:
Report to the patient's local public health department electronically, through the Wisconsin Electronic Disease Surveillance System (WEDSS), by mail or fax using an Acute and Communicable Disease case report, F-44151 (Word) or by other means within 72 hours upon recognition of a case.
Information on communicable disease reporting:
- Wisconsin case reporting and public health follow-up guidelines: Case Reporting and Investigation Protocol (EpiNet): Zika virus infection, P-02066 (PDF)
- Arbovirus management protocol, P-00894 (PDF)