Women and would-be-moms in the U.S. are growing wary over Zika virus and their reaction might be reasonable and justified. The disease, which is mainly caused by mosquito bites, is projected to escalate this summer season. But there are still several uncertainties about its spread and infection.
Dr. Ashley Roman of the NYU Langone Medical Center said that, despite projections, the medical community in the U.S. do not know what summer will be like as far as the spread of the virus is concerned, per New York Post. One other concern is that the experts are still unsure of how long Zika virus can affect the body after it has recovered from the symptoms. The experts are also still discovering new ways on how the disease can be transmitted.
Zika Virus Transmission Not Just Through Mosquito Bites
Scientists have long determined the main cause of the transmission in mosquitoes, hence there have been continuous calls to increase protection from its bites. After months of research, scientists have also learned that the virus can spread through vaginal sex, hence there have also been calls to use protection or abstain from doing the deed for two weeks after travels to Zika-known places.
However, recent studies claim that the Zika virus might also be transmitted through oral sex, kissing and saliva, per People. So, if this can happen, some mothers are worried that the Zika virus might also be transmitted via breastfeeding, per Romper. However, there are no current studies to imply this as fact.
UPDATED: WHO fact sheet on #ZikaVirus https://t.co/5tbWPNwL3n #Zika
— WHO (@WHO) June 6, 2016
Zika Virus Could Stay In The System Longer
Zika virus infection develops flu-like symptoms that can be managed with proper medication and therapy. It's not a deadly disease for the adults that are infected, but it has lifelong effects for babies inside an infected pregnant mom's womb.
A healthy person can easily recover from the symptoms of Zika, but its other effects might only be discovered after having babies or giving birth. Doctors are unsure of how long the virus stays in the system, but a study has shown that Zika virus could stay longer in the semen than in the blood, per The Lancet. Thus, the standard advice is that women should hold off getting pregnant for two years, after they—or their partner—have recovered from the disease.
Currently, New York has the highest number of Zika cases on record at 130, per the Center for Disease Control. What doctors are confident about is that these are not local infections, meaning there is no outbreak in the U.S. as all cases were inflicted while the patients had been traveling abroad.
Still, the CDC and local health departments are raising the alarm on Zika this summer. There is still no known cure or vaccine for the virus, apart from taking care of the flu-like symptoms with rest and medication.
