First female-to-male Zika transmission reported in New York
The first documented case of sexual transmission from a female to her male partner was recently reported by the New York City’s health department. This raises new concerns about the spread of the virus, which is typically contracted through mosquito bites.
Transmission of the virus occurred on the day that a woman in her 20s returned to the city from an area with active Zika transmission and had a single encounter of unprotected sex with a male partner, according to a report published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The man had not traveled outside of the United States in the prior year.
The woman developed fever, fatigue, a rash and body aches the next day, and sought treatment. Health department officials then confirmed her infection. Her male partner developed symptoms seven days later and sought treatment from the same caregiver. He was also diagnosed with Zika.
New York and CDC health officials reported the case in the CDC’s weekly report on death and disease.They said the circumstances support the idea that Zika can pass from women to men through unprotected vaginal intercourse.
All previously reported cases of sexual transmission were spread from men who had traveled to a Zika outbreak area to a female or male sex partner who had not. Such cases have been reported in at least 11 countries, including the United States and France.
The ability of Zika to spread through sex could help it gain a foothold outside of the tropical climates that are home to the Aedesaegypti mosquito, which carries Zika as well as dengue, chikungunya and Yellow Fever.
It was not clear from the report whether Zika was spread to the male sex partner through vaginal or other fluids. Previous studies in monkeys and people have shown the presence of the virus in vaginal fluid.
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