Although the virus isn’t being actively transmitted by mosquitoes in the United States, the CDC is offering new guidance to prevent sexual transmission and hopefully protect women before conception.
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Based on expert opinion and limited but evolving information about the sexual transmission of Zika virus, the recommended duration of consistent condom use or abstinence from sex depends on whether men had confirmed infection or clinical illness consistent with Zika virus disease and whether men are residing in an area with active transmission (see box on the left).
Brazil is the epicenter of the Zika virus outbreak.
It is not expected to pose a significant threat to the USA mainland, federal health officials have said in the past.
“It’s a long period, but you’ve got to remember that this virus can cause a lot of serious damage in a baby”, Asturias said.
There are 261 cases in Puerto Rico and most all are locally transmitted.
Many people are travelling to countries wherein Zika virus is circulating, but they wanted to ensure that people who are travelling know about various precautions that have to be taken.
Jamieson said some couples living in places where Zika is spreading locally may decide to delay pregnancy.
A man infected with Zika virus can spread it to his sexual partners.
US health officials are warning both men and women about attempting to become pregnant if they’ve had a Zika virus infection as fears over the sudden outbreak grow.
Meanwhile, the CDC cautions that the link between Zika and birth defects, like microcephaly, still isn’t fully understood.
Scientists said the study presents valuable findings as Brazil’s overstretched health service grapples with twin outbreaks of Zika and the birth defect microcephaly. When the team looked at airline figures, they found that the virus’s introduction correlated with an uptick in passengers, leading them to believe that the current outbreak was the result of a single carrier.
“Our genome sequencing efforts have provided a clearer picture of the Zika virus in Brazil”.
Countries where active transmission of Zika virus is occurring as of March 18, 2016.
It is especially important to practice safe sex if you or your partner have recently traveled to an area with Zika virus, as there has been evidence that it can be sexually transmitted.
First discovered in Uganda in 1947, the Zika virus wasn’t thought to pose major health risks until a year ago, when it became clear that it posed potentially devastating threats to pregnant women. People “really need to cover exposed skin”, she adds, reinforcing the advice given to women of childbearing age who might be pregnant or considering pregnancy.
Babies with microphaly have a smaller head, which is normally associated with slower brain development.
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Zika also has been tied to cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome, a condition that causes paralysis. Health officials recommend using birth control to prevent birth defects in unborn children.
