Zika virus guidance - current status as of May 2023

Zika Update

Patients or donors who have travelled or are planning to travel should speak to their clinic for possible Zika risk depending on the country they have travelled to/ are travelling to.

Travellers returning from affected areas should consider the following guidance to minimise the risk of Zika virus transmission:

• Female traveller, symptomatic or asymptomatic, should not try to conceive naturally, donate gametes or proceed with fertility treatment for 2 months.
• Male traveller, symptomatic or asymptomatic, should not try to conceive naturally, donate gametes or proceed with fertility treatment for 3 months.

Sperm donors who have been infected with Zika virus should be deferred from donation for three months unless the semen tests negative for Zika virus RNA by nucleic acid testing (NAT). Asymptomatic sperm donors should be deferred for three months after return unless the semen tests negative for Zika virus by NAT.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) have commissioned a review of the evidence and plan to update the Zika guidance in due course.

For the latest guidance, please refer to Public Health England.

Find out more

• A list of countries and their risk levels is available on the Public Health England website
• Public Health England Guidance for women returning from an area or country with risk for Zika virus transmission
• Public Health England Guidance on preventing Zika virus.

Related information

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