Even though most people who get Zika have no symptoms of the disease, the woman was among the minority who exhibited telltale signs of infection. The virus can cause birth defects, may cause developmental problems post-birth, and may also be linked to pregnancy loss, the New York Times reports.
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People who want to reduce the risk for sexual transmission of Zika virus should abstain from sex or correctly and consistently use condoms as recommended by the CDC. The disease is widespread in many countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
After the woman developed Zika symptoms, she went to her doctor. Two days later, she went to the doctor and had her blood and urine tested, which were both found positive for the virus.
If you are traveling overseas, first check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s travel page at nc.cdc.gov/travel/page/zika-information to see if Zika is spreading in your planned destination.
Women of child-bearing age who live in an active Zika region should protect themselves from mosquito bites by wearing long-sleeved shirts and long trousers, using mosquito repellent when outside, and staying indoors as much as possible, according to the CDC.
The CDC writes in a press release obtained by MRCTV that the new case “adds to the growing body of knowledge about the sexual transmission of Zika”.
Zika is typically transmitted via the bite of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, and the greatest danger is when infection occurs in pregnancy. There have been no reports of mosquitoes spreading Zika in the continental United States so far. It was previously known that the virus could be transmitted by unprotected sexual intercourse, but only male-to-female and male-to-male cases were reported.
After corroborating the histories, health officials concluded that “the timing and sequence of events support female-to-male Zika virus transmission through condomless vaginal intercourse”. And once a woman has been infected, it is believed she will be immune for life, Brooks noted. The report described the transmission of virus present in either vaginal fluids or menstrual blood during exposure to her male partner’s urethral mucosa or undetected abrasions on his penis.
The first virus case infecting a San Francisco resident was reported on March 3 and the second case was reported on April 22. Health department officials then confirmed her infection.
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It appears now that men aren’t the only ones who can transmit the Zika virus through sex. That same day she had unprotected vaginal sex with her male partner. Now, in light of the New York City case, that prevention message becomes more broad.
