Zika Cluster In Dallas Texas Via Sexual Transmission

niman · February 2, 2016

Dallas County Health & Human Services cites Zika sexual transmission

http://www.dallascounty.org/department/hhs/press/documents/PR2-2-16DCHHSReportsFirstCaseofZikaVirusThroughSexualTransmission.pdf

niman · February 2, 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DCHHS Reports First Zika Virus Case in Dallas County Acquired Through Sexual Transmission

DALLAS (Feb. 2, 2016) – Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) has received confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the first Zika virus case acquired through sexual transmission in Dallas County in 2016. The patient was infected with the virus after having sexual contact with an ill individual who returned from a country where Zika virus is present. For medical confidentiality and personal privacy reasons,

DCHHS does not provide additional identifying information. “Now that we know Zika virus can be transmitted through sex, this increases our awareness campaign in educating the public about protecting themselves and others,” said Zachary Thompson, DCHHS director. “Next to abstinence, condoms are the best prevention method against any sexually-transmitted infections.” Zika virus is transmitted to people by mosquitoes and through sexual activity. The most common symptoms of Zika virus are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting several days to a week. DCHHS advises individuals with symptoms to see a healthcare provider if they have visited an area where Zika virus is present or had sexual contact with a person who traveled to an area where Zika virus is present. There is no specific medication available to treat Zika virus and there is not a vaccine. The best way to avoid Zika virus is to avoid mosquito bites and to avoid sexual contact with a person who has Zika virus. “Education and awareness is crucial in preventing Zika virus,” said Dr. Christopher Perkins, DCHHS medical director/health authority. “Patients are highly encouraged to follow prevention recommendations to avoid transmitting and spreading Zika virus.” DCHHS recommends the following to avoid Zika virus: Use the 4Ds to reduce the chance of being bitten by a mosquito.

 DEET All Day, Every Day: Whenever you’re outside, use insect repellents that contain DEET or other EPA approved repellents and follow instructions.

 DRESS: Wear long, loose, and light-colored clothing outside.

 DRAIN: Remove all standing water in and around your home.

 DUSK & DAWN: Limit outdoor activities during dusk and dawn hours when mosquitoes are most active.

Travelers can protect themselves by doing the following:

 Choose a hotel or lodging with air conditioning or screens on windows or doors.

 Sleep under a mosquito bed net if you are outside or in a room that is not well-screened.

Sexual partners can protect each other by using condoms to prevent spreading sexually-transmitted infections. There are currently no reports of Zika virus being locally-transmitted by mosquitoes in Dallas County. However, imported cases make local spread by mosquitoes possible because the mosquitoes that can transmit the virus are found locally. DCHHS advises recent travelers with Zika virus symptoms as well as individuals diagnosed with Zika virus protect themselves from further mosquito bites. For more information on Chikungunya, Dengue and Zika viruses, go to the DCHHS website.

Edited February 2, 2016 by niman

niman · February 2, 2016

1st Zika virus case acquired through sexual transmission, health officials confirm

By News 2 StaffPublished: February 2, 2016, 2:45 pm

DALLAS, Texas (KPRC) – Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) has received confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the first Zika virus case acquired through sexual transmission in Dallas County in 2016.

The patient was infected with the virus after having sexual contact with an ill individual who returned from a country where Zika virus is present. For medical confidentiality and personal privacy reasons, DCHHS does not provide additional identifying information.

“Now that we know Zika virus can be transmitted through sex, this increases our awareness campaign in educating the public about protecting themselves and others,” said Zachary Thompson, DCHHS director. “Next to abstinence, condoms are the best prevention method against any sexually-transmitted infections.”

Zika virus is transmitted to people by mosquitoes and through sexual activity. The most common symptoms of Zika virus are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting several days to a week.

“I think the bottom line is that there have been a few reported cases,” said Dr. Peter Hotez, Dean, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine. He added, “But as far as we know this should still be considered a rare or uncommon mode of transmission relative to mosquito transmission.”

DCHHS advises individuals with symptoms to see a healthcare provider if they have visited an area where Zika virus is present or had sexual contact with a person who traveled to an area where Zika virus is present. There is no specific medication available to treat Zika virus and there is not a vaccine. The best way to avoid Zika virus is to avoid mosquito bites and to avoid sexual contact with a person who has Zika virus.

“Education and awareness is crucial in preventing Zika virus,” said Dr. Christopher Perkins, DCHHS medical director/health authority. “Patients are highly encouraged to follow prevention recommendations to avoid transmitting and spreading Zika virus.”

DCHHS recommends the following to avoid Zika virus:

Use the 4Ds to reduce the chance of being bitten by a mosquito.

• DEET All Day, Every Day: Whenever you’re outside, use insect repellents that contain DEET or other EPA approved repellents and follow instructions.
• DRESS: Wear long, loose, and light-colored clothing outside.
• DRAIN: Remove all standing water in and around your home.
• DUSK & DAWN: Limit outdoor activities during dusk and dawn hours when mosquitoes are most active.

Travelers can protect themselves by doing the following:

• Choose a hotel or lodging with air conditioning or screens on windows or doors.
• Sleep under a mosquito bed net if you are outside or in a room that is not well-screened.

Sexual partners can protect each other by using condoms to prevent spreading sexually-transmitted infections.

There are currently no reports of Zika virus being locally-transmitted by mosquitoes in Dallas County. However, imported cases make local spread by mosquitoes possible because the mosquitoes that can transmit the virus are found locally. DCHHS advises recent travelers with Zika virus symptoms as well as individuals diagnosed with Zika virus protect themselves from further mosquito bites.

http://counton2.com/2016/02/02/1st-zika-virus-case-acquired-through-sexual-transmission-health-officials-confirm/

Admin · February 2, 2016

FOX4News.com Staff · February 2, 2016

Sexually transmitted case of Zika virus reported in Dallas County

POSTED:FEB 02 2016 01:18PM CST

UPDATED:FEB 02 2016 01:40PM CST

DALLAS - Dallas County health officials have confirmed a case of Zika virus acquired through sexual transmission.

The patient reportedly had sexual contact with another infected individual who recently returned from a country where the Zika virus is present, according to a release from Dallas County Health and Human Services.

Dallas County reports first U.S. case of Zika virus

AUSTIN, TEXAS

The first U.S. case of the Zika virus has been contracted in Dallas County, local health officials said on Tuesday, adding there are no reports of the virus being locally transmitted by mosquitoes in the Texas county.

Dallas County Health and Human Services said the case in Dallas was acquired through sexual transmission, adding that it received confirmation of the infection from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The county did not identify the person infected. The CDC said it did not investigate how the virus was transmitted.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-zika-dallas-report-idUSKCN0VB2CQ

There have been six confirmed travel-related cases of Zika virus disease, all among residents of Harris County, where Houston is located, the Texas Department of State Health Services said.

In medical literature, there has been only one case of Zika transmitted sexually and one case in which the virus was detected in semen.

(Reporting by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)

niman · February 2, 2016

Life | Tue Feb 2, 2016 3:27pm EST

CDC says the agency did not investigate Dallas Zika case

CHICAGO

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday it has not investigated how the Zika virus was transmitted to a person in Dallas.

The health department in Dallas said in a statement on Tuesday the CDC confirmed the person was infected by Zika, but a CDC spokesman said Dallas handled the investigation into how the virus was transmitted.

(Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-zika-cdc-idUSKCN0VB2DV?mod=related&channelName=healthNews

niman · February 2, 2016

‏@DCHHS

CLARIFICATION: Dallas County's 1st case of #Zika thru sex was acquired from someone who traveled to Venezuela, confirmed case did not travel

niman · February 2, 2016

Map update

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?hl=en&hl=en&authuser=0&authuser=0&mid=zv94AJqgUct4.kT4qLMXp3SLU

niman · February 2, 2016

‏@DCHHS

CDC performed and confirmed the test on our first #Zika case. DCHHS performed the public health follow-up to ascertain mode of transmission.

niman · February 2, 2016

Health officials say a patient in Texas has acquired the Zika virus through sexual transmission

Associated PressFeb. 2, 2016, at 3:42 p.m.+ More

DALLAS (AP) — Health officials say a patient in Texas has acquired the Zika virus through sexual transmission.

Dallas County Health and Human Services said Tuesday it received confirmation from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The patient was infected after having sexual contact with an ill person who returned from a country where Zika was present.

The Zika virus is usually spread through mosquito bites. Investigators have been exploring the possibility the virus also can be spread through sex. It was found in one man's semen in Tahiti, and there was report of a Colorado researcher who caught the virus overseas and apparently spread it to his wife back home in 2008.

Health officials note there are no reports of Zika being transmitted by mosquitoes in Dallas County.

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2016-02-02/sexually-transmitted-zika-case-confirmed-in-texas?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

niman · February 2, 2016

First case of Zika virus disease contracted in Texas

By Calily BienPublished: February 2, 2016, 2:23 pm Updated: February 2, 2016, 3:21 pm

An Aedes aegypti mosquito is photographed through a microscope at the Fiocruz institute in Recife, Pernambuco state, Brazil, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016. The mosquito is a vector for the proliferation of the Zika virus currently spreading throughout Latin America. New figures from Brazil's Health Ministry show that the Zika virus outbreak has not caused as many confirmed cases of a rare brain defect as first feared. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

DALLAS, Texas (KXAN) — The first Zika virus case transmitted through sex in Texas has been identified in Dallas County. On Tuesday, the Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) received confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control on the positive sample.

Officials say the patient was infected with the virus after having sexual contact with an ill individual who returned from a country where Zika virus is present. Prior to this case, the CDC indicated on its website that no locally transmitted Zike cases have been reported in the United States, but only in returning travelers.

“Now that we know Zika virus can be transmitted through sex, this increases our awareness campaign in educating the public about protecting themselves and others,” said Zachary Thompson, DCHHS director. “Next to abstinence, condoms are the best prevention method against any sexually-transmitted infections.”

UT researchers creating devices to detect viruses in mosquitoes

Health officials in Dallas County says there are no reports of Zika virus being transmitted by mosquitoes in their county. However, it is still important to protect yourself from mosquitoes because imported cases may spread through local mosquitoes because they can transmit the virus.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Texas Department of State Health Services confirms there are a total of eight cases of Zika virus in Texas–six from Harris County and two in Dallas County (which includes the sexually transmitted case). Seven of the cases are all related to foreign travel. Currently, testing for Zika virus is done through the CDC but Texas is working on the ability to test for the virus at its Austin lab.

“We’re working closely with our partners to gather more information about the virus and this transmission in Dallas and to determine whether any additional public health interventions are needed,” said Dr. John Hellerstedt, DSHS commissioner.

The most common symptoms of Zika virus are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting several days to a week. Individuals with symptoms are urged to see a healthcare provider if they have visited an area where Zika virus is present or had sexual contact with a person who traveled to an area where Zika virus is present.

Currently, there is no specific medication available to treat Zika virus and there is not a vaccine.

http://kxan.com/2016/02/02/zika-case-transmitted-through-sex-identified-in-dallas-county/

niman · February 2, 2016

Zika Virus – Feb. 2, 2016

Texas has six confirmed travel-related cases of Zika virus disease, all among residents of Harris County. The travelers were infected abroad and diagnosed after they returned home. There has been no reported local transmission of the disease in the continental United States.

Zika is a mosquito-borne virus that can cause fever, rash, muscle and joint aches and pinkeye. Symptoms are usually mild, and most people exposed to Zika virus won’t develop any symptoms at all. There have been reports of microcephaly and other poor pregnancy outcomes in babies of mothers who were infected with Zika virus while pregnant.

The Texas Department of State Health Services is encouraging people to follow travel precautions for regions and certain countries where Zika virus transmission is ongoing.

DSHS recommends travelers avoid mosquito bites while abroad and for seven days after returning, in case they have been exposed to Zika virus. People can protect themselves from mosquito bites by:

Wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants
Using EPA-registered insect repellents
Using permethrin-treated clothing and gear
Staying and sleeping in screened-in or air-conditioned rooms.

Note: Zika case data for Texas will be updated weekdays by 11 a.m.

Texas Zika Virus

CDC Zika Virus

https://www.dshs.state.tx.us/news/updates.shtm

Edited February 2, 2016 by niman

niman · February 2, 2016

Dallas reports case of Zika spread through sexual transmission, CDC advises avoidance of semen of people exposed

Print Article

By Lena H. Sun and Ariana Eunjung Cha February 2 at 4:42 PM

Dallas County, Tex., health authorities said Tuesday they have received confirmation of the first Zika virus case acquired through sexual transmission.

In a statement, the Dallas County Health and Human Services department said the patient was infected with the virus after having sexual contact with a sick person who returned from a country where Zika virus is present. Dallas authorities said they received confirmation that the patient was infected from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This represents the first case of someone being infected while in the United States during this outbreak, the CDC said Tuesday. The other Zika cases in the United States have all involved people who have returned from Zika-affected regions.

[Zika crisis: What is microcephaly? And what does this mean for babies?]

"CDC has confirmed through laboratory testing the first U.S. case of Zika virus infection in a non-traveler in the continental United States," the agency said in a statement.

"According to a Dallas County Health Department investigation, a person who recently traveled to an area with Zika virus transmission returned to the United States and developed Zika-like symptoms. The person later tested positive for Zika, along with their sexual partner, who had not traveled to the area."

The CDC is now saying that the best way to avoid Zika virus infection is to prevent mosquito bites AND to avoid exposure to semen from someone who has been exposed to Zika virus or has been ill from Zika virus infection.

"We do not have definitive information on the infectious time period, and will provide more guidance as we learn more," the agency said. "Sexual partners can protect each other by using condoms to prevent spreading sexually transmitted infections. People who have Zika virus infection can protect others by preventing additional mosquito bites."

[WHO declares global health emergency, says causal link to brain defects strongly suspected]

For medical confidentiality and personal privacy reasons, Dallas health authorities said they are not providing additional identifying information.

“Now that we know Zika virus can be transmitted through sex, this increases our awareness campaign in educating the public about protecting themselves and others,” said Zachary Thompson, DCHHS director. “Next to abstinence, condoms are the best prevention method against any sexually-transmitted infections.”

“We’ve been tracking the case for maybe a week or two,” Dallas County health director Zachary Thompson said in a brief phone interview Tuesday. He said officials waited for confirmation that the patient had the virus from the CDC before disclosing circumstances of the case. Dallas authorities investigated the case.

Public health officials have stressed that the Zika virus is transmitted primarily by mosquitoes. There have been isolated reports of transmission through sexual activity. But if the virus is shown to be transmitted readily through sexual contact, it could only further complicate efforts to stop the transmission of the Zika virus.

[Graphic: What you need to know about Zika]

Researchers have been speculating about the possibility of transmission of Zika virus through sexual contact since 2008, when an American scientist who had been traveling in southeastern Senegal was suspected of transmitting it to his wife.

In the days after his return to Colorado, the man and his wife had sex. Several days after that, the man became symptomatic, experiencing swollen ankles, a rash on his torso and extreme fatigue and headache, but no fever, according to a description published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. His wife – who had not traveled out of the country in the previous year – experienced similar symptoms.

The man and his wife’s infections with Zika were confirmed through blood tests, but the researchers did not investigate whether the virus was present in his semen. Researchers speculated at the time that infected semen may have transmitted the virus, or that another bodily fluid, such as saliva, could be responsible. They did note that the illness did not develop in the couple's four children, however.

Brian Foy, an associate professor at Colorado State University who works on infectious diseases and the lead author of the paper, subsequently told journalists he was the scientist being discussed.

The issue came up again in 2013 when doctors in French Polynesia isolated a high concentration of actively replicating virus in a 44-year-old man’s semen and concluded that “this observation supports the possibility that [Zika virus] could be transmitted sexually.”

The World Health Organization designated the Zika virus and its suspected complications in newborns as a public health emergency of international concern Monday. The action, which the international body has taken only three times before, paves the way for the mobilization of more funding and manpower to fight the mosquito-born pathogen spreading "explosively" through the Americas.

This post has been updated.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/02/02/dallas-reports-case-of-zika-spread-through-sexual-transmission
/

niman · February 3, 2016

Zika Virus Confirmed in Dallas County, Spread Through Sexual Contact: Dallas County Health

Two cases of Zika now confirmed in Dallas County, health department confirms

By Frank Heinz

The first person in Dallas County has been infected with the Zika virus without traveling outside the U.S., becoming the first person to acquire the virus in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The patient was infected through sexual contact, not through a mosquito bite, according to county health officials.

Dallas County Health Health and Human Services said the patient was infected after having sexual contact with an individual who developed symptoms after returning from a trip to Venezuela. It has also been confirmed that the individual from Venezuela is also infected with the virus.

Neither of the individuals are pregnant. They are both thought to still be in Dallas County.

"A person who recently traveled to an area with Zika virus transmission returned to the United States and developed Zika-like symptoms. The person later tested positive for Zika, along with their sexual partner, who had not traveled to the area," the CDC said in a statement.

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DCHHS said Tuesday that the CDC confirmed the Zika test and that the county health department confirmed the virus was transmitted sexually through a follow-up interview with the patient. The CDC’s statement did not confirm or rule out that the virus was transmitted sexually.

Neither patient has been identified and further information about them has not been shared. NBC 5 has, however, confirmed that neither of the individuals are pregnant. They are both thought to still be in Dallas County.

What to Know: Zika Virus Spreads in AmericasThe spreading of the Zika virus has caused worldwide concern. Health officials think Zika might be connected to the rise in a birth defects in the Americas, though it has not yet been proven, and have labeled the crisis a global emergency. (Published 3 hours ago)

The county confirms that there are no reports of the virus being spread locally by mosquitoes, though local transmission of the virus by mosquitoes is a possibility with the virus now known to be in North Texas.

Common symptoms of Zika virus include fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting several days to a week, Dallas County health officials said.

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The virus can have far more harmful effects on women who are infected while pregnant, leading to cases of microcephaly or other poor outcomes, according to the CDC.

Heartbreaking Photos Show Effect of Zika Virus on Newborns in Brazil Heartbreaking Photos Show Effect of Zika Virus on Newborns in Brazil

Those with symptoms, or those who have had sexual contact with someone who has symptoms, are urged to seek immediate medical care, to protect themselves from further mosquito bites and to avoid unprotected sexual contact.

The Zika virus is usually spread through mosquito bites. The CDC previously said they were aware of reports of the virus being spread through sexual contact, but had not confirmed the transmission method. While exploring the possibility the virus could be spread through sex, investigators found the virus in one man's semen in Tahiti, and there was report of a Colorado researcher who caught the virus overseas and apparently spread it to his wife back home in 2008, according to The Associated Press.

DMN's Dr. Seema Yasmin Answers Zika QuestionsDr. Seema Yasmin, medical expert at The Dallas Morning News, answers questions about Zika virus from viewers on the NBC 5 Facebook page. (Published 34 minutes ago)

“Now that we know Zika virus can be transmitted through sex, this increases our awareness campaign in educating the public about protecting themselves and others,” said Zachary Thompson, DCHHS director. “Next to abstinence, condoms are the best prevention method against any sexually-transmitted infections.”

The CDC said they have no definitive information on the infectious time period and will provide more guidance as they learn more about the virus.

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There is no medication to treat Zika virus and there is no vaccine; the best prevention is to avoid mosquitoes and sexual contact with infected people. The recommendations for avoiding the Zika virus are the same for avoiding West Nile virus:

How to Protect Yourself From Mosquito Bites — the 4 Ds

Dusk and Dawn: Stay inside if possible — mosquitoes are most active during dusk and dawn.
Dress in long sleeves, pants when outside: For extra protection, spray thin clothing with repellent.
DEET: Make sure this ingredient is in your insect repellent.
Drain standing water in your yard and neighborhood: Mosquitoes can develop in any water stagnant for more than three days.

Additionally, the CDC continues to recommend that pregnant women and women trying to become pregnant take the following precautions:

Pregnant women should consider postponing travel to the areas where Zika virus transmission is ongoing. 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. Pregnant women should also avoid exposure to semen from someone who has been exposed to Zika virus.
Women trying to become pregnant should consult with their healthcare professional if their partner has had exposure to Zika virus.

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To date, there are seven other confirmed Zika cases in Texas, in Houston and Harris County. In each of those cases, the patient had traveled abroad to an area where Zika is present.

NBC 5's Kevin Cokely and Holley Ford contributed to this report.

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/health/Zika-Virus-Confirmed-in-Dallas-County-Spread-Through-Sexual-Contact-Dallas-County-Health-367395911.html?_osource=SocialFlowTwt_DFWBrand

Edited February 3, 2016 by niman

niman · February 3, 2016

Zika virus infection 'through sex' reported in US

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Media captionExclusive: CDC Deputy Principal director tells BBC the Dallas Zika case was sexually trans

A rare case of the Zika virus being transmitted through sex, not a mosquito bite, has been reported in the US.

A patient infected in Dallas, Texas, is likely to have been infected by sexual contact, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) told the BBC.

The person had not travelled to infected areas but their partner had returned from Venezuela.

Zika is carried by mosquitoes and has been linked to thousands of babies being born with underdeveloped brains.

It is spreading through the Americas and the World Health Organization has declared the virus a global public health emergency.

In another development, two cases of the Zika virus have been confirmed in Australia. Officials said the two Sydney residents had recently returned from the Caribbean.

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Meanwhile, Brazil - the country worst hit by the outbreak - has revealed it is investigating 3,670 suspected cases of microcephaly in babies linked to the Zika virus.

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Media captionTimeline: How the Zika virus took hold

A total of 404 cases have so far been confirmed - up from 270 last week - while 709 cases have been discarded, the country's health ministry said.

Analysis by James Gallagher, health editor, BBC News website

If Zika can readily spread through sex, then it poses a risk to every country not just those with the Aedes mosquito.

So far, authorities have said sexual transmission is rare, but last year they would have said any case of Zika was rare, too.

This explosive outbreak has caught the world by surprise and many key questions remain unanswered.

Exactly how common or rare is sexual transmission? Can it be spread by the 80% of people who show no symptoms? How long does the virus persist in semen? When is it safe to have sex again?

What should men do after visiting affected countries? Can women also spread the virus through sex?

However, this is not a new HIV/Aids moment. HIV infection is incurable and dramatically shortens lives without daily medication.

Zika infections are short, mild and pose a significant threat only in pregnancy.

The ministry also said 76 infant deaths from microcephaly, either during pregnancy or just after birth, were suspected.

The case in Dallas would be the first known infection to take place in the mainland US, though Texas has seen seven other Zika cases all related to foreign travel.

Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director for CDC, said this was the first case it had dealt with involving a "non-traveller".

"We don't believe this was spread through mosquito bites, but we do believe it was spread through a sexual contact."

A statement issued by the CDC said the best way to avoid Zika virus infection was "to prevent mosquito bites AND to avoid exposure to semen from someone who has been exposed to Zika".

The case is "significant" if it was definitely transmitted through sexual contact, Alaka Basu, a senior fellow for public health at the UN Foundation, told the BBC.

"This significance is parallel with the HIV/Aids case. It's worse in some ways, because there are two modes of transmission."

It is not the first known case of sexual transmission. There was a case in 2013 in French Polynesia, according to the CDC website.

The CDC recommends that pregnant women avoid travel to more than two dozen countries with Zika outbreaks, mostly in the Caribbean and Latin America, including Venezuela.

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said her government was focused on eradicating the mosquito that transmits the virus.

In an address to a joint session of Congress, she said considerable funds would be set aside for the programme.

"We should all be worried about microcephaly," she said.

Blood samples being analysed in Guatemala City — Image captionThe disease is suspected of being especially dangerous for pregnant women

The alert issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday puts Zika in the same category of concern as Ebola.

It means research and aid will be fast-tracked to tackle the infection.

WHO director general, Margaret Chan called Zika an "extraordinary event" that needed a co-ordinated response.

She said the priorities were to protect pregnant women and their babies from harm and to control the mosquitoes that are spreading the virus.

WHO has said it could take up to nine months for experts to prove or disprove any connection between the virus and babies born with microcephaly.

Edited February 3, 2016 by Admin

niman · February 3, 2016

Zika Virus Acquired Through Sexual Transmission, Texas Officials Say

By LAURA WAGNER • 1 HOUR AGO

It's the first U.S. case related to the recent Western hemisphere outbreak to be acquired through sex. Until now, experts have focused on transmission of the virus through mosquito bites.

Dallas County Health and Human Services says the patient, who remains anonymous, became infected after having sexual contact with someone who was ill and had returned from a country where the Zika virus is present.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released this statement:

"CDC has confirmed through laboratory testing the first U.S. case of Zika virus infection in a non-traveler in the continental United States. According to a Dallas County Health Department investigation, a person who recently traveled to an area with Zika virus transmission returned to the United States and developed Zika-like symptoms. The person later tested positive for Zika, along with their sexual partner, who had not traveled to the area. In this instance there was no risk to a developing fetus.
"Based on what we know now, the best way to avoid Zika virus infection is to prevent mosquito bites. We do not have definitive information on the infectious time period, and will provide more guidance for individuals and clinicians as we learn more. Sexual partners can protect themselves by using condoms to prevent spreading sexually transmitted infections. People who have Zika virus infection can protect others by preventing additional mosquito bites."

In 2008, a Colorado researcher reportedly caught the virus overseas and may have spread it to his wife when he returned to the U.S.

http://wlrn.org/post/zika-virus-acquired-through-sexual-transmission-texas-officials-sa
y

niman · February 3, 2016

Zika Virus – Feb. 2, 2016

Texas has eight confirmed cases of Zika virus disease. Seven travelers were infected abroad and diagnosed after they returned home. One case involves a Texas resident who had sexual contact with someone who acquired the Zika infection while traveling abroad. Six cases were among residents of Harris County with two among Dallas County residents.

Zika is primarily a mosquito-borne virus that can cause fever, rash, muscle and joint aches and pinkeye. Symptoms are usually mild, and most people exposed to Zika virus won’t develop any symptoms at all. There have been reports of microcephaly and other poor pregnancy outcomes in babies of mothers who were infected with Zika virus while pregnant.

The Texas Department of State Health Services is encouraging people to follow travel precautions for regions and certain countries where Zika virus transmission is ongoing.

DSHS recommends travelers avoid mosquito bites while abroad and for seven days after returning, in case they have been exposed to Zika virus. People can protect themselves from mosquito bites by:

Wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants
Using EPA-registered insect repellents
Using permethrin-treated clothing and gear
Staying and sleeping in screened-in or air-conditioned rooms.

Note: Zika case data for Texas will be updated weekdays by 11 a.m.

Texas Zika Virus

DSHS News Releases

CDC Zika Virus

https://www.dshs.state.tx.us/news/updates.shtm

Admin · February 3, 2016

Zika has been sexually transmitted in Texas, CDC confirms

By Sandee LaMotte

Updated 7:38 PM ET, Tue February 2, 2016 | Video Source: CNN

RECIFE, BRAZIL - JANUARY 25: David Henrique Ferreira (L), 5 months, who has microcephaly, is watched by his brother Richard Miguel on January 25, 2016 in Recife, Brazil. In the last four months, authorities have recorded close to 4,000 cases in Brazil in which the mosquito-borne Zika virus may have led to microcephaly in infants. Microcephaly results in newborns with abnormally small heads and is associated with various disorders including decreased brain development. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Zika virus outbreak is likely to further spread in South, Central and North America. At least twelve cases of Zika in the United States have now been confirmed by the CDC. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

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Stopping the spread of Zika virus in the U.S.

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View of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes infected with the Wolbachia bacterium --which reduces mosquito transmitted diseases such as dengue and chikungunya by shortening adult lifespan, affect mosquito reproduction and interfere with pathogen replication-- at the Oswaldo Cruz foundation in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on October 2, 2014. The mosquitoes, when released, are expected to quickly infiltrate the insect population and stop the spread of the disease. Small-scale trials have already been conducted in communities in northern Australia.

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RECIFE, BRAZIL - JANUARY 27: Dr. Vanessa Van Der Linden, the neuro-pediatrician who first recognized the microcephaly crisis in Brazil, examines a 2-month-old baby with microcephaly on January 27, 2016 in Recife, Brazil. The baby's mother was diagnosed with having the Zika virus during her pregnancy. In the last four months, authorities have recorded close to 4,000 cases in Brazil in which the mosquito-borne Zika virus may have led to microcephaly in infants. The ailment results in an abnormally small head in newborns and is associated with various disorders including decreased brain development. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Zika virus outbreak is likely to spread throughout nearly all the Americas. At least twelve cases in the United States have now been confirmed by the CDC. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

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This would be the third documented case of sexually transmitted Zika virus
CDC calling for avoidance of semen from anyone exposed or sick from Zika

(CNN)Zika has been sexually transmitted in Texas, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday. It is the first known case of the virus being locally acquired in the continental United States in the current outbreak.

The case, announced by Dallas County health officials, involved a patient who had sex with someone who had recently returned from Venezuela infected with the mosquito-borne virus.

In a statement to CNN, the CDC said it confirmed the test results showing Zika present in the blood of a "nontraveler in the continental United States." They stressed that there was no risk to a developing fetus in this instance.

Based on that, the CDC says it will soon provide guidance on sexual transmission, with a "focus on the male sexual partners of women who are or who may be pregnant."

Earlier Tuesday, CDC Director Tom Frieden told CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent Sanjay Gupta: "There have been isolated cases of spread through blood transfusion or sexual contact and that's not very surprising. The virus is in the blood for about a week. How long it would remain in the semen is something that needs to be studied and we're working on that now."

Frieden added that studies on sexual transmission are not easy studies to do, but the CDC is continuing to explore that avenue of transmission. "What we know is the vast majority of spread is going to be from mosquitoes," Frieden added. "The bottom line is mosquitoes are the real culprit here."

The CDC said it will provide more guidance as more information on sexual transmission is learned, but in the meantime, "Sexual partners can protect each other by using condoms to prevent spreading sexually transmitted infections. People who have Zika virus infection can protect others by preventing additional mosquito bites."

History of sexual transmission

Before this case, there have been only two documented cases linking Zika to sex. During the 2013 Zika outbreak in French Polynesia, semen and urine samples from a 44-year-old Tahitian man tested positive for Zika even when blood samples did not. Five years before that, in 2008, a Colorado microbiologist named Brian Foy contracted Zika after travel to Senegal; his wife came down with the disease a few days later even though she had not left northern Colorado and was not exposed to any mosquitoes carrying the virus.

In addition, the CDC said there have been documented cases of virus transmission during labor, blood transfusion and laboratory exposure. While Zika has been found in breast milk, it's not yet confirmed it can be passed to a baby through nursing.

An emergency of international concern

Zika is prompting worldwide concern because of an alarming connection to a neurological birth disorder and the rapid spread of the virus across the globe.

The Zika virus, transmitted by the aggressive Aedes aegypti mosquito, has now spread to at least 24 countries. The WHO estimates 3 million to 4 million people across the Americas will be infected with the virus in the next year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning pregnant women against travel to those areas; health officials in several of those countries are telling female citizens to avoid becoming pregnant, in some cases for up to two years.

Five things you need to know about Zika

The virus is linked to an alarming spike in babies born with abnormally small heads -- a condition called microcephaly -- in Brazil and French Polynesia.

Reports of a serious neurological condition, called Guillain-Barre Syndrome, that can lead to paralysis, have also risen in areas where the virus has been reported. Health officials have specifically seen clusters of this in El Salvador, Brazil and French Polynesia, according to WHO's Dr. Bruce Aylward.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/02/health/zika-virus-sexual-contact-texas/index.html

Admin · February 3, 2016

Sexually-transmitted Zika case confirmed in Texas

By JAMIE STENGLE

Feb. 2, 2016 7:47 PM EST

DALLAS (AP) — Health officials in Texas on Tuesday reported the first case of the Zika virus being transmitted within the United States amid the current outbreak in Latin America — a person who was infected through sex.

Dallas County health officials said the unidentified person had not traveled but had sex with a person who had returned from Venezuela and fallen ill with Zika, which has been linked to birth defects in the Americas. The virus is primarily spread through mosquito bites, but investigators had been exploring the possibility it could be sexually transmitted. There was a report of a Colorado researcher who picked up the virus in Africa and apparently spread it to his wife back home in 2008, and it was found in one man's semen in Tahiti.

"It's very rare, but this is not new," Zachary Thompson, director of the Dallas County Health and Human Services, told WFAA-TV in Dallas. "We always looked at the point that this could be transmitted sexually."

The CDC says it will issue guidance in the coming days on prevention of sexual transmission of Zika virus, focusing on the male sexual partners of women who are or may be pregnant. The CDC has already recommended pregnant women postpone trips to more than two dozen countries with Zika outbreaks, mostly in Latin America and the Caribbean, including Venezuela. It also said other visitors should use insect repellent and take other precautions to prevent mosquito bites.

DSHS Reports First Locally Acquired Zika Case

The Texas Department of State Health Services today reported the first case of Zika virus disease contracted in Texas, involving a Dallas County resident who had sexual contact with someone who acquired the Zika infection while traveling abroad. Case details are being evaluated, but the possibility of sexual transmission from an infected person to a non-infected person is likely in this case.

DSHS has seven other Texas cases of Zika virus disease, all related to foreign travel to areas where Zika is currently being transmitted. Zika virus is transmitted to people primarily through the bite of an infected mosquito, though there also have been reports of transmission through sexual contact. The disease can cause fever, rash, muscle and joint aches and red eyes but also has been linked to the birth defect microcephaly and other poor birth outcomes in some women infected during their pregnancy.

“We’re working closely with our partners to gather more information about the virus and this transmission in Dallas and to determine whether any additional public health interventions are needed,” said Dr. John Hellerstedt, DSHS commissioner.

Texas alerted health care providers in January to be aware of and consider Zika virus as they see patients and is pursuing the ability to test for Zika at the state laboratory in Austin. Testing currently occurs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

State health officials continue to encourage people to follow travel precautions. The CDC is currently advising pregnant women to delay travel to foreign countries where Zika is being transmitted. To prevent the spread of the disease, people traveling to those areas should carefully follow steps to avoid mosquito bites while there and for seven days after returning home.

People can protect themselves from mosquito bites by:

Wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants
Using EPA-registered insect repellents
Using permethrin-treated clothing
Staying and sleeping in screened-in or air-conditioned rooms
Avoid or limit outdoor activities during peak mosquito times.

The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week, and hospitalizations are rare. Most people exposed to Zika virus won’t develop any symptoms at all. There is currently no vaccine or treatment for the virus.

-30-

(News Media Contact: Carrie Williams, 512-776-7119, [email protected])

DSHS Press Office on Twitter

Last updated February 02, 2016

https://www.dshs.state.tx.us/news/releases/20160202.aspx

niman · February 3, 2016

Zika Virus


	Zika Virus

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Zika virus is primarily spread to people through mosquito bites. Rarely, the virus is spread from mother to child. Spread of the virus through blood transfusion and sexual contact have also been reported.

Approximately 80% of people infected with the virus do not become ill. For those who do develop symptoms, illness is generally mild and typically lasts a few days to a week. The most common symptoms of Zika virus disease are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes).

Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon and fatalities are rare. An increase in Guillain-Barré syndrome was noted during an outbreak of Zika virus in French Polynesia in 2014. An increase in microcephaly was noted during an outbreak of Zika virus in Brazil in 2015. Whether Zika virus infection causes these conditions has not yet been established.

Laboratory testing for Zika virus infection is available at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Healthcare providers should contact their state or local health department to facilitate laboratory testing in symptomatic patients. See a comprehensive listing of contact information by county for local and regional health departments in Texas.

As for many other arboviral diseases, there are currently no vaccines or drugs to prevent or treat Zika virus infection. To help prevent infection, DSHS recommends that:

Travelers to areas affected by Zika | avoid mosquito exposure
Pregnant women postpone travel to areas affected by Zika

It is not yet known if people with Zika who do not have symptoms can transmit the virus to Texas mosquitoes. Therefore, DSHSrecommends that all travelers returning to Texas from areas affected by Zika avoid mosquito bites for one week following return or following onset of illness.

Zika Virus
General information provided by the CDC about Zika virus

Zika & Travel
Information provided by the CDC about Zika virus for travelers and travel health providers

Zika & Pregnant Women
Information provided by the CDC about potential risks associated with Zika virus infection during pregnancy

Zika & Infants
Information provided by the CDC about Zika virus for pediatric healthcare providers

https://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/disease/arboviral/zika/

Last updated February 02, 2016

niman · February 3, 2016

The First Sexually Transmitted Case of the Zika Virus Is Confirmed in Texas

By Elliot Hannon

506780554-estafany-perreira-holds-her-nephew-david-henrique — A woman holds her 5-month-old nephew, who has microcephaly, on Jan. 25, 2016 in Recife, Brazil.

The already troubling spread of the Zika virus got a bit more menacing on Tuesday when health officials in Texas confirmed the first known transmission of the virus through sexual contact. Previously, the only known way the virus could be spread was through mosquito bites. Dallas County health officials said the infected patient had not been to an infected area, but the patient’s partner recently returned from Venezuela.

Concern over the virus has risen steadily across the Americas, where the latest spike in cases has taken place. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak an international public health emergency on Monday, warning as many as 4 million people could contract the virus. The symptoms of Zika can be pretty mild—fever, fatigue, headache, you know the drill—fatalities are rare, and most people who get infected (up to 80 percent) don’t have any symptoms at all. The virus, however, has been linked to birth defects in babies born to infected women, which has set off an alarm across Latin America.

There are still many, many unknowns about the virus and its link to birth defects in newborns. Worries over microcephaly, a condition where babies have underdeveloped brains and abnormally small heads at birth, however, have caused several countries to discourage women from getting pregnant until more is known about Zika’s impact on pregnant women. Brazil has been the hardest hit so far by microcephaly; it is investigating 3,670 suspected cases, according to the BBC. The cases of Zika have extended almost throughout the entirety of South and Central America, and as far away as Australia.

Read more in Slate about the Zika virus.

niman · February 3, 2016

Zika Infection Transmitted by Sex Reported in Texas

By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr. and SABRINA TAVERNISEFEB. 2, 2016

A case of Zika virus infection transmitted by sex, rather than mosquito bite, was discovered in Texas on Tuesday, a development sure to complicate plans to contain a global epidemic.

The Dallas County Health and Human Services Department reported that a patient with the Zika virus was infected after having sex with someone who had returned from Venezuela, where Zika is circulating.

After the report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed its advice to Americans visiting regions in which the Zika virus is spreading.

Men having sex after traveling to these areas should consider wearing condoms, officials said, although they did not indicate for how long this would be necessary. Pregnant women should avoid contact with semen from men recently exposed to the virus, federal officials also said. The agency plans to issue further guidelines soon.

Infection of pregnant women with the Zika virus has been linked to birth defects in their infants. But the infection is not usually life-threatening for others, and produces symptoms only in 20 percent of patients.

But sexual transmission, experts said, adds a new level of difficulty to detecting and preventing Zika outbreaks, which may require not just mosquito control but also safe-sex education. Health officials now face the prospect of stopping an infection that is usually silent and for which there are no widely available tests; it may be transmissible sexually, yet there may be no sign until a child is born.

“This opens up a whole new range of prevention issues,” said Dr. William Schaffner, chief of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical School.

Still, he cautioned that sexual transmission is probably rare compared with the viral spread by mosquitoes, taking place in more than 20 countries and territories in Latin America and the Caribbean.

“Mosquito transmission is the highway, whereas sexual transmission is the byway,” Dr. Schaffner said. “Sexual transmission cannot account for this sudden and widespread transmission of this virus.”

Scientists have suspected for several years that Zika could be transmitted sexually. In 2008, a malaria specialist who caught the Zika virus while gathering mosquitoes in Africa passed the infection to his wife shortly after his return to Northern Colorado.

Because his wife had not left the state and there were no mosquitoes in the region capable of carrying Zika — and because the couple did not infect any of their four children — experts concluded the only logical explanation was transmission through sex.

Last year, French scientists described finding viable Zika virus in the semen of a 44-year-old Tahitian man who had recovered from an infection during a 2013 outbreak in French Polynesia.

The investigators could not determine how long the virus had persisted because he had had more than one episode of fever that year that might have been related to the Zika virus.

The C.D.C. confirmed the Zika infections in Dallas. Health officials in Dallas said that the person infected during sex had not left the United States, and that there was no documented transmission of the virus by mosquitoes within the city.

The returnee from Venezuela had visible symptoms of Zika infection, a spokeswoman for the county said, but she did not describe exactly what they were.

The health department did not describe the gender of each partner. The only two previously known cases suggesting that sexual transmission was possible involved men with visible blood in their semen, and scientists theorized that the virus had infected their testes or prostates.

In its statement on the Texas case, the C.D.C. noted that there was “no risk to a developing fetus,” presumably implying that neither partner was pregnant.

Although Zika virus infection causes relatively mild symptoms in adults, scientists suspect it is behind a surge in cases of devastating birth defects, including microcephaly, in Brazil.

Until Tuesday, the C.D.C. had posted only a brief acknowledgment on its website that sexual transmission had “been reported.” There had been no mention of the possibility on its advisory pages for travelers, nor did it advise the use of condoms.

By contrast, British health authorities suggested last week that couples delay efforts to conceive for one month if either partner had just returned from a country where Zika was spreading. Public Health England suggested that all men use condoms for at least 28 days after returning, and that men with Zika symptoms, including fever, rash, red eyes or joint pain, avoid having unprotected sex for six months.

Like the C.D.C., British health officials had previously advised pregnant women to avoid travel to affected countries.

In the United States, the possibility of sexual transmission “has really hit a nerve in the corporate community,” said Dr. David O. Freedman, an epidemiologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham who is sometimes called on to advise businesses about medical issues in travel.

Business travelers to Latin America and the Caribbean now must worry about passing it to their partners, he said: “There’s a lot of concern out there, but just no data to address it.”

The Texas case “is going to raise a lot more concern,” said Scott Weaver, director of the Institute for Human Infections and Immunity at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and an expert on the virus.

He said it would be important to identify other factors that were red flags for transmission through sex. For example, the men in the cases in Colorado and French Polynesia both had blood in their semen.

Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said it was important to determine whether the virus survived in semen longer than it does in the blood, from which it usually disappears after a week or two as the victim recovers.

“We have no idea right now how long Zika is present in the semen,” Dr. Fauci said. “We need to find that out, and we need to find that out pretty quickly.”

After nearly 40 years of studying the Ebola virus, doctors learned for the first time just last year that it could survive in semen for weeks or months and infect women through sex.

The prospect of transmission from men who never had symptoms could pitch clinicians into uncharted waters.

“If this can occur in the complete absence of signs or symptoms, then it’s going to be very tough to get a handle on how high the risk is,” Dr. Weaver said.

Experts in mosquito-borne diseases expect some local transmission of the Zika virus through mosquitoes in Florida and along the Gulf Coast once the weather warms up. How far it spreads will depend on how aggressive mosquito control is.

Dr. Kristy Murray, an infectious disease specialist at Texas Children’s Hospital, said there had been seven confirmed Zika cases in Houston, where she is based, all in travelers back from Zika-infested areas.

Local health authorities are girding for battle against mosquitoes when it gets warmer.

“It will be really interesting to see what happens this summer,” Dr. Murray said.

A version of this article appears in print on February 3, 2016, on page A1 of the New York edition with the headline: Dallas Reports A Case of Zika Spread by Sex . Order Reprints| Today's Paper|Subscribe

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/03/health/zika-sex-transmission-texas.html?_r=0

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