New Diagnostic Test for Zika Virus Extends Detection Window

Diagnostic tests for the Zika virus are only reliable in the three weeks following initial infection. That is, until now. Researchers from Columbia University developed a new diagnostic test that can detect the virus in the bloodstream several months after a person is infected. The new Zika test improvements are threefold: better accuracy, quicker results, and enhanced cost-effectiveness. Better diagnostic capabilities are particularly vital for pregnant women, whose unborn babies run the risk of neurodevelopmental problems. For example, the Zika virus can cause the development of Guillain-Barre syndrome, an autoimmune disease affecting the nervous system.