A woman in New York City who was infected with Zika passed the virus to her male partner during sex, marking the first report of female-to-male sexual transmission of this virus.
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Men who travel to areas where Zika is spreading should take appropriate steps to prevent mosquito bites and either use condoms correctly every time they have sex during the pregnancy. Among the 1,130 people who have received a Zika diagnosis in the continental United States, including 320 pregnant women, the CDC has reported 15 cases of sexual transmission. The virus has been confirmed to cause microcephaly, a condition that causes babies to be born with abnormally small heads. The federal agency also recommends testing for all pregnant women with a travel history, or a partner with travel history, to any area where Zika is transmitted by mosquito bites.
The first case of a woman sexually transmitting the Zika virus to a man is now in the books. The following day the woman developed Zika symptoms such as tingling in toes and fingers, numbness, muscle plain and fatigue, rash and fever.
The new finding has prompted CDC to update its advice in a report issued on Friday. These recommendations also apply to female sex partners of pregnant women though no cases of female-to-female Zika transmission have been reported.
John Brooks, a medical epidemiologist at the CDC, weighed in on how the virus was transmitted, NPR also noted. However, most people infected with Zika never have any symptoms, so do not assume you are not infected if you do not feel sick.
When her male partner developed symptoms seven days later and sought treatment from the same caregiver, he, too, was diagnosed with Zika. The Zika virus is not known to spread through casual contact with an infected person, such as touching or hugging. Researchers know that men spread Zika carried in their semen during vaginal, anal and oral sex. All prior transmissions had occurred from males to their sexual partners.
The new research shows the Zika virus, which is spread primarily by mosquitoes, could now have a wider reach than previously expected.
The mosquito species most commonly associated with Zika’s spread is not found in the tri-state, but a similar species that scientists think could transmit the disease inhabits the area.
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No female-to-female sexual transmission of Zika has been reported.
