Zika virus is also transmissible through sexual contact between men

Zika virus is also transmissible through sexual contact between men / Health News

According to US authorities, the man infects his partner
In the US, a man has infected his partner through sexual contact with the Zika virus. This reports the news agency "AFP", citing the US health authorities. Thus, the transmission of the pathogen is also possible between men. So far, only cases were known in which men had infected their women by sexual means.

Contagion after returning from South America
A man from the US has been proven to infect his partner with the Zika virus. According to the AFP, this has been communicated to the US Department of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to the transfer had already taken place in January in the US state of Texas, after the man had returned from a stay in Venezuela. The confirmed case shows that even men can give each other the pathogen over sexual contact. So far, at least five cases were known in which men had infected their women in this way.

The Zika virus can apparently also be passed on by men in homosexual relationships. (Image: Henrik Dolle / fotolia.com)

No unprotected sex for at least six months
The Health Authority advised affected men not to have unprotected intercourse for at least six months. This applies to cases in which a Zika infection has already been diagnosed, but also for men who experience typical symptoms such as fever, joint pain or conjunctivitis. The infection itself is usually harmless and usually goes unnoticed, but for pregnant women and their unborn children, the mosquito-borne virus is particularly dangerous.

Context confirmed with microcephaly
Only on Wednesday, the CDC had presented evidence for the relationship between a prenatal Zika infection and skull malformations. According to the report, the virus, which is rampant especially in Latin America, could lead to microcephaly, a developmental peculiarity characterized by a comparatively small skull. This can lead to brain malformations, as a result of which the affected children are often mentally handicapped and suffer from neurological disorders. In addition, it is assumed that the virus can trigger the so-called "Guillain-Barré syndrome". This is an inflammatory disease of the nerves, characterized by increased paralysis and sensory disturbances, and in the worst case can be fatal. (No)