Sexual transmission of the Zika virus is more common than previously thought, the World Health Organization said Tuesday, citing reports from several countries.
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There isn’t a ready-made kit to test for Zika.
Researchers have created a cellular model of the human placenta to help uncover how infections, from toxoplasmosis to the Zika virus, may pass from a mother to her unborn child.
Ms. Garin said the DoH has been aware of the possibility of Zika cases in the country, because mosquitos are common and the last case recorded in 2012 did not have a history of travel.
Nine countries have reported an increase in Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare condition that may be linked to Zika and can cause temporary paralysis and death.
“The Zika virus is generally a mild virus that lasts less than a week”, said Montgomery County Commissioner Val Arkoosh, a physician and interim medical director of the county health department.
It’s probably worth noting that no definitive link between Zika infection and this birth defect, also called microcephaly, have been found, but doctors are seeing a strong correlation between the two.
In addition to being spread through bites from infected Aedes mosquitoes, Zika has been spread sexually from infected men to female sexual partners in a small number of cases. Is there any potential (Zika) to spread like denge? we cannot dismiss that, “Chan said”.
No other details on the woman are available at this time.
Philippine health officials have advised pregnant women to consider deferring nonessential travel to Zika-hit countries and worked to raise public awareness on how to fight infections, including by using insect repellents and wearing protective clothing.
While no cases of Zika have been traced to mosquito bites received in the USA, experts predict some spread of the disease as weather warms up, particularly in Florida, Texas and other southern states where the Aedes mosquitoes are most prevalent.
Frieden said thousands of pregnant women across Puerto Rico will likely be infected, given the island’s population density and the custom of using windows without screens.
Ms. Garin said widespread testing would possibly cause shortage of testing kits, especially since they are now still sourced from the CDC and not actually bought.
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As of late Monday, 36 countries and territories were listed by the CDC as having active mosquito-borne transmission of Zika. The cases there are reportedly doubling every week.
