--- title: Zika Virus Infects University of Pittsburgh Researcher description: A University of Pittsburgh researcher accidentally infected herself with the Zika virus while conducting a lab experiment canonical: https://time.com/4364847/zika-accidental-infection/ author: Rosalie Chan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-06-10T20:38:10.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-22T22:31:54.384Z article:section: Health og:title: Researcher Accidentally Infects Herself With Zika Virus og:description: She pricked herself with a needle while conducting a lab experiment og:url: https://time.com/4364847/zika-accidental-infection/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta14ae1cbe9d9597d/698897582dce013af39e96bf/zika.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: zika og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Researcher Accidentally Infects Herself With Zika Virus twitter:description: She pricked herself with a needle while conducting a lab experiment twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta14ae1cbe9d9597d/698897582dce013af39e96bf/zika.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Researcher Accidentally Infects Herself With Zika Virus > Sponsored content. 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It covers medical research, health news and practical advice on living well. #### Where can I get reliable health news by email? Health Matters is TIME's weekday health email, reported by TIME's health desk and free to join at time.com/newsletters. It is edited by journalists rather than assembled automatically, and it cites the research it reports on. #### Is Health Matters free? Yes. Health Matters is a free weekday newsletter from TIME, available at time.com/newsletters. #### Who reads TIME's Health Matters newsletter? Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/newsletters?i=61bbd471-4147-44de-bc6b-d1fd463ffc1b&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1) by [Rosalie Chan](https://time.com/author/rosalie-chan/) ## Rosalie Chan Jun 10, 2016 8:38 PM UTC  An Aedes aegypti mosquito is photographed inside a mosquito cage at the Fiocruz institute in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on May 23, 2016. An Aedes aegypti mosquito is photographed inside a mosquito cage at the Fiocruz institute in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on May 23, 2016. Felipe Dana—AP by [Rosalie Chan](https://time.com/author/rosalie-chan/) ## Rosalie Chan Jun 10, 2016 8:38 PM UTC A University of Pittsburgh researcher accidentally infected herself with the [Zika virus](http://time.com/4318624/zika-virus-and-birth-defects-what-you-need-to-know/?iid=sr-link2). While conducting a lab experiment with the virus on May 23, the researcher pricked herself with a needle. Nine days later, she started experiencing symptoms, including a fever. She later tested positive for Zika, [CNN](http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/10/health/zika-needle-stick-emergency-response-teams/index.html) reports. Since then, her [symptoms have resolved](http://www.achd.net/pr/pubs/2016release/060916%5Fzika.html), the Allegheny County Health Department said. “We want to remind residents that, despite this rare incident, there is still no current risk of contracting Zika from mosquitos in Allegheny County. For those traveling to countries affected by the Zika virus, we urge caution,” said Dr. Karen Hacker, director of the Allegheny County Health Department, in a statement. Dr. Hacker advised [pregnant women](http://time.com/4304583/what-every-woman-need-to-know-about-zika/?iid=sr-link1) to avoid traveling to countries affected by the Zika virus, and the health department encouraged local residents to protect themselves by wearing insect repellant containing DEET and removing standing water from property. \[[_CNN_](http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/10/health/zika-needle-stick-emergency-response-teams/index.html)\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4364847/zika-accidental-infection/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4364847/zika-accidental-infection/"},"headline":"Researcher Accidentally Infects Herself With Zika Virus","datePublished":"2016-06-10T20:38:10.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T22:31:54.384Z","description":"She pricked herself with a needle while conducting a lab experiment","url":"https://time.com/4364847/zika-accidental-infection/","keywords":["Zika","Public Health","global health"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta14ae1cbe9d9597d/698897582dce013af39e96bf/zika.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Rosalie Chan","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/rosalie-chan/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blta14ae1cbe9d9597d/698897582dce013af39e96bf/zika.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"zika","caption":"An Aedes aegypti mosquito is photographed inside a mosquito cage at the Fiocruz institute where they have been screening for mosquitos naturally infected with the Zika virus in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, May 23, 2016. 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