Men who have been infected by the Zika virus should not have unprotected sex with their partners for at least six months, U.S. health officials reported.
According to the updated guidelines from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), men who have tested positive for the mosquito-borne virus must use protection for at least six months in order to reduce risk of transmission. For women, those with a positive Zika infection should wait eight weeks before trying to get pregnant.
"In making these recommendations, we considered the longest known risk period for these categories. We then allowed for three times the known period of time," the agency wrote in its statement.
The guidelines also recommended couples wait at least eight weeks before trying to get pregnant if either partner might have been exposed to the virus due to travel or sexual contact. For couples from Zika-affected regions who want to get pregnant, the CDC recommended that they discuss the risks involved with their doctors. The CDC noted that couples living in regions where Zika is active have been able to have healthy children.
The guidelines represent another step that health officials have taken to ensure that women and unborn children are safe from the virus due to the growing evidence that Zika can cause microcephaly, a birth defect that is characterized by an underdeveloped brain and an abnormally small head. The CDC stressed the importance of using contraceptives if people do not want to get pregnant.
"Mounting evidence supports a link between Zika and Microcephaly, a birth defect that is a sign of incomplete brain development and possibly other problems such as miscarriage. The rate of these complications is not known yet, but we're studying this," said Dr. Denise Jamieson of the CDC Zika Virus Response Team. "We know there's a risk, but it's important to remember that even in places with active Zika transmission women are delivering apparently healthy infants. Our goal here is to ensure that doctors and other health care professionals have clear guidance to inform discussions with their patients about possible exposure to Zika virus, pregnancy planning, and timing of pregnancy."
Symptoms of an infection include a mild fever, joint and/or muscle pain, rash and conjunctivitis (red eyes). In the majority of the cases, symptoms will not manifest.
The updated guidelines were published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).
