Urine test may make Zika testing easier

Published: Updated:
James Gathany / CDC / MGN

NEW YORK (AP) – U.S. health officials say urine testing is more likely than blood testing to detect Zika virus infection in many patients.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new testing guidance Tuesday, saying the virus particles can be detected at higher levels and for a longer period of time.

Experts say the new guidance will make it easier to test more people for the virus.

Until this week, CDC officials have said the best way to detect Zika virus is by checking a patient’s blood within a week of their symptoms appearing using a sophisticated lab test. Now the CDC is saying to use the same technique on urine.

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Online:

CDC report: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr

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