Health officials in Texas announced on Tuesday that they have detected the first case of Zika virus infection through sexual intercourse in the state. The news comes one day after a public health emergency was declared by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The Zika virus, which is typically transmitted through the bites of disease-carrying Aedes mosquitoes, has been linked to cases of serious developmental issues in infants in Brazil. While infection cases have mostly occurred in countries in the Americas, experts from the WHO fear that the disease could likely spread to Asian and African nations as well.
The discovery of the sexually transmitted Zika virus serves as a particularly concerning development regarding the disease.
According to the Health and Human Services office in Dallas County, the confirmation was sent by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
HHS officials said that a local resident contracted the Zika virus after engaging in sexual contact with another person who had recently traveled to Venezuela. They said that the infected individual himself or herself did not travel to any of the South American countries identified with a Zika virus outbreak.
"Now that we know Zika virus can be transmitted through sex, this increases our awareness campaign in educating the public about protecting themselves and others," director Zachary Thompson of the Dallas County HHS said.
"Next to abstinence, condoms are the best prevention method against any sexually-transmitted infections."
County health office said that it has yet to identity a case of Zika virus transmission through mosquito bites in their locale.
DCHHS Reports First #Zika Virus Case in Dallas County Acquired Through Sexual Transmission pic.twitter.com/IMuShm16em
— Dallas County HHS (@DCHHS) February 2, 2016
A potential case of Zika virus transmission through sexual activity had been previously reported by international health officials. However, researchers from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said that they needed additional evidence to confirm that the virus can indeed be transmitted through sexual contact.
Medical records show that the Zika virus has been found in a sample of semen before.
As of the moment, cases of Zika virus infections have been identified in over 30 countries. Initial studies suggest that the microorganism increases the risk of infants suffering developmental issues. One such birth defect is microcephaly, which causes babies to have abnormally sized heads and poorly developed brains.
