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REVIEW

Sexual transmission of Zika virus: a literature review

Miranda Sherley A D E and Chong-Wei Ong B C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Canberra Sexual Health Centre, Building 5, Level 1, Canberra Hospital, Garran, ACT. PO Box 11, Woden, ACT 2606, Australia.

B Infectious Diseases Unit, Building 10, Level 4, Canberra Hospital, Garran, ACT. PO Box 11, Woden, ACT 2606, Australia.

C Microbiology Unit, Building 10, Level 4, Canberra Hospital, ACT. PO Box 11, Woden. ACT 2606, Australia.

D Medical School, ANU College of Health and Medicine, Australian National University, Acton, ACT 0200, Australia.

E Corresponding author. Email: Miranda.Sherley@act.gov.au

Sexual Health 15(3) 183-199 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH17046
Submitted: 4 March 2017  Accepted: 25 September 2017   Published: 22 December 2017

Abstract

Zika virus is an emerging health threat worldwide. A member of the yellow fever virus family, it is primarily spread by mosquitoes of the Aedes (Stegomyia) genus. Unusually for a mosquito-borne virus, sexual spread has also been reported; with cases of male-to-female, female-to-male and male-to-male sexual transmission all now published in the scientific literature, in both symptomatic and asymptomatic infection. Female-to-female sexual transmission has not yet been reported, but is biologically plausible. The extent of the effect of sexual transmission on the spread of Zika virus around the world is not well-characterised, but has particular relevance to travellers to and from non-endemic regions, and assisted reproduction services.

Additional keywords: microcephaly, prevention, STI.


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