In light of confirmation that the Zika virus can be spread to pregnant women through sexual activity, federal health officials are warning couples to use a condom or abstain entirely if the man has traveled recently to Zika regions.
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Men and women traveling to countries with Zika outbreaks should not have unprotected sex with their pregnant partner, according to recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC advises men with a pregnant partner to use condoms if they have traveled to an area with “active Zika virus transmission”.
Zika has been identified in the saliva and urine of two patients infected by the virus, a leading Brazilian health institute said on Friday, adding that further studies are needed to determine if those fluids could transmit the infection.
“Everything that we’ve seen with not just Zika but dengue and chikungunya – spread by the same mosquito – suggests that this is the overwhelming cause and route of transmission”, Frieden said Friday.
The updated guidelines recommend pregnant women be offered testing two to 12 weeks after returning from places where the virus has infected people.
“We understand that this is anxiety-provoking for women who are pregnant and their families”, said CDC Director Tom Frieden.
Much about the virus, including whether it can be transmitted from person to person, remains unclear. Pregnant women who must travel to one of these areas should talk to their doctor or other healthcare professional first and strictly follow steps to avoid mosquito bites during the trip.
But the agency also said people who are not expecting “may consider” taking the same precautions.
In Geneva, spokeswoman Cecile Pouilly said the OHCHR was asking governments in Zika-affected countries in Latin and South America to repeal any policies that break with worldwide standards and restrict access to sexual and reproductive health services, including abortion.
Florida’s warm climate, year-round mosquitoes and revolving door of worldwide travelers make it vulnerable to the Zika virus.
“We are quite literally discovering more about Zika each and every day”, Frieden said. “Women should be able to have an abortion if they want”.
Besides the Texas case, there are only two other scientific reports related to possible sexual transmission of Zika, the CDC said. Their advice is based on three cases of sexual transmission of the virus. It has also been linked to Guillain-Barre syndrome, which can cause paralysis.
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The mosquito-borne virus has spread to at least 29 countries.
