The Zika virus – mainly spread by the bite of the Aedes mosquito and sometimes sexual transmission – is now an global health emergency.
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Zika infections in pregnant women have been shown to cause microcephaly – a severe birth defect in which the head and brain are undersized – as well as other brain abnormalities.
Although the researchers don’t know exactly how the virus is traveling from the blood to the eye, these new findings suggest why some infected adults develop conjunctivitis (redness and itchiness of the eyes) and, in rare cases, an eye infection called uveitis (that can be serious and lead to vision loss).
The U.S. study found genetic fragments of the virus in the eyes and tears of lab mice that have Zika and researchers say it could be passed on through contact, but more studies are required.
To determine what effect Zika infection has on the eye, the researchers infected adult mice under the skin – similar to the way humans are infected by mosquitoes – and found live virus in the eyes seven days later.
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Aside from those found in semen, the World Health Organization said recent evidences also indicate that the virus may also be transmitted through other body fluids, such as the female’s vaginal fluids and cervical mucus.
Many people infected with Zika won’t have symptoms or will only have mild ones – a fever, rash and muscle/joint aches.
The work has come about as Zika researchers are confounded by the rate at which the virus is spreading, which appears to be more quickly than by mosquito-borne transmission alone.
Chinese authorities on Wednesday issued an alert for outbound travellers to guard against the Zika virus, which has spread in some Southeast Asian countries. The quick spread of cases across Latin America indicates that mosquitoes are probably not the only culprit.
And another study showed that Zika virus can be found in tears – at least in mice. Transmission occurs when a mosquito bites an infected individual and then that mosquito bites another individual and passes on the infection.
“That one case illustrates the real conundrum”, said Rajendra Apte, an ophthalmology professor and retina specialist who is one of the study’s senior authors. The mouse eye could be used to test anti-Zika drugs.
Health workers are now trying to stop the mosquitoes from spreading the Zika virus.
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“If we want to minimise the spread of Zika, we’ve got to solve the problem.all areas which are Dengue hotspots need to be cleaned up”, he added.
