Why
The Zika virus has managed to jump from the Southern America all the way to Southeast Asia and needless to say, it has gotten all of us very nervous and anxious. Thailand has already reported its first two cases of Zika-linked microcephaly. Thousands of newborn babies have unfortunately been infected by the Zika virus since the outbreak last year in the country of Brazil. Their mothers were infected with the virus during pregnancy.
At first, scientists had thought that the only way for the virus to be transmitted was through blood transfusion or as the in cases seen in Brazil, in utero. However, French scientists found traces of the virus in the sperm of a man who had traveled to French Guyana but not in his semen! Thi is quite alarming to say the least.
Further research is needed
They are yet to figure out if the virus can be transmitted sexually since it is the sperm that is infected. I guess sperm banks will now have to include a testing for Zika virus in their protocol.
Fun fact: STDs can be washed off of sperm during fertility procedures.
The U.S.’s Center or Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, have advised men to abstain from trying to conceive for eight weeks to six months but that time period might be lengthened with further research and study.
Image Courtesy by: meichubang.com, travelfar.it
