“Of course in countries with Zika there are other nasty mosquito-borne diseases like Dengue [Fever], so use maximum mosquito-avoidance measures”, Dr Senanayake said.
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While experts agree mosquitoes remain the main concern, recent studies indicate that women have been infected with the virus more often than men have, possibly because of sexual transmission. For the study, researchers infected adult mice with the Zika virus via the skin, which is similar to how humans would be infected through a mosquito bite, and discovered that the virus was active in the eyes seven days later.
Since past year, 69 countries and territories reported evidence of Zika infection via the Aedes aegypti mosquito – the main mode of transmission. About a third of all babies infected in utero with Zika show eye disease such as inflammation of the optic nerve, retinal damage or blindness after birth. It now turns out that a person with no symptoms of Zika infection can also transmit the virus sexually to his or her partner.
As far as conducting experiments as concerned, researchers of the study want to do more experiments to confirm if the Zika virus can survive in the compartments of the eye. The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall in Brazil, which has since confirmed more than 1,800 cases of microcephaly.
“I guess the difference with Ebola and Zika is that Zika is now affecting about 60 different countries”. World Health Organization recently have been conducting studies that show even people who haven’t had symptoms of Zika infection might be able to infect other sexually- and last week, the first case was reported.
The researchers say their findings raise the possibility that human tears could carry the virus, but caution that they have not yet undertaken research to figure out whether their findings on mice are also applicable to humans. However, he added, testing bodily fluids – including tears – could be a simple and painless way to diagnose Zika virus.
As an immune-privileged site, the eye doesn’t get a lot of activity from the immune system to prevent accidental damage to sensitive tissues for vision while fighting off an infection. Authorities are now looking at an area, where two Zika virus cases have been reported, including one today.
Hepatitis C virus, a related virus, can infect the human cornea and is transmitted by corneal transplants, the study said. “You need to minimize contact with body fluids”.
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The vast majority of Zika infections have been in Latin America and the Caribbean. Washington University School of Medicine’s 2,100 employed and volunteer faculty physicians also are the medical staff of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children’s hospitals.
