Zika virus is feared by many women because if they get bitten and infected by a Zika-carrying mosquito, they could infect their babies with the virus through the bloodstream. Zika virus has been linked to the development of microcephaly in babies.
But according to a report from CNN, men should also worry about the virus outbreak. Experts say that men bitten by a Zika-carrying mosquito can pass the virus to women through sexual intercourse. "It's not yourself you should be so worried about -- it's your husband," Dr. William Schaffner, A Vanderbilt University Medical Center professor and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory panel member, told women through CNN.
The virus is transmitted sexually through the semen of infected men. The big issue is that nobody knows how long the virus stays in the semen after a man has been bitten.
The CDC plans on starting a study to figure out how long the virus remains active in a man's semen. But for now, the health agency advises men who travelled to Zika-affected countries and territories to abstain from sexual intercourse or use condoms for an unknown time period.
For women, their concern for transmitting Zika is a very short period only. "We've measured the virus in the blood of people who've been infected, and it usually clears the bloodstream in five to seven days, or 10 days at the most," Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN.
The best thing to do to avoid getting Zika virus is to avoid mosquito bites, according to Reader's Digest. Some of the best ways to avoid mosquito bites is by applying mosquito repellent on the exposed parts of your body except the eyes, ears, nose and mouth; applying permethrin on your clothes; eliminating standing water inside and around your home; keeping the doors and windows closed; and by not visiting Zika-affected areas if possible.
