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Pitt researcher accidentally infected with Zika after needlestick

A University of Pittsburgh researcher became the fourth confirmed case of Zika virus in the Pittsburgh area after a laboratory accident, according to the Allegheny County Health Department.

According to a news release, a female researcher contracted the virus after an accidental needlestick while working with Zika virus during an experiment.

Karen Hacker

“We want to remind residents that, despite this rare incident, there is still no current risk of contracting Zika from mosquitoes in Allegheny County,” Karen Hacker, MD, MPH, director of the county’s health department, said in the release. “For those traveling to countries affected by Zika, we urge caution. Pregnant women particularly should avoid travel to affected countries.”

Officials said this case is unique in the United States, as it was not contracted during travel abroad, nor was it contracted via sexual transmission.

According to the release, the researcher’s symptoms have resolved, and she has recovered. Hacker told Infectious Diseases in Children during an email interview that the researcher was not pregnant at the time of infection.

According to CDC biosafety guidance for working with Zika virus in laboratories, safety practices call for “the use of gloves, a laboratory gown or coat, and eye protection when handling these specimens.”