PREVENTION OF SEXUAL TRANSMISSION OF ZIKA VIRUS.

Men who have traveled to an area with ongoing Zika virus transmission should consider abstaining from having sex with their pregnant partners or should “consistently and correctly use condoms” for the duration of the pregnancy, researchers cautioned. The recommendations came days after the CDC confirmed the virus had been spread through sexual contact.In two separate reports, the CDC published interim guidelines for the prevention of sexual transmission of Zika and updated interim guidelines for health care providers caring for pregnant women and women of reproductive age with possible exposure to the primarily mosquito-borne virus. The linkage between Zika and microcephaly is stronger with each passing day, In addition, the linkage between Zika and Guillain-Barré syndrome also appears stronger the more we learn because it’s new and can be so severe, it’s scary, especially for women who are pregnant or considering pregnancy. The CDC continues to urge the use of condoms and safe sex practices to protect against the virus.Men with pregnant sexual partners who are living in areas where Zika is active or who have traveled to those places should either abstain from sexual activity or correctly use condoms during all oral, anal and vaginal sex, according to the recommendations. Men who are living in or have recently traveled to an active Zika area who are concerned about transmitting the disease to their non-pregnant partners also should consider the same precautions. The couples considering sex should take into account that most Zika infections do not have symptoms and any illness is usually mild. The CDC noted that Zika might persist in semen even after it is no longer detectable in blood. Zika testing in men is recommended to establish diagnosis of infection in groups including pregnant women. However, testing for men for the purposes of assessing their risk for sexual transmission is not recommended. Serologic testing is recommended within 2 to 12 weeks for pregnant women without symptoms who have returned from traveling to areas with ongoing Zika transmission. Testing is recommended within the first week for pregnant women with clinical illness consistent with Zika. story source;Helio infectious disease news.