Davidson H Hamer1,2,3, Mary E Wilson4,5, Jenny Jean6, Lin H Chen7,8. 1. Center for Global Health and Development, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. dhamer@bu.edu. 2. Department of Global Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Crosstown 3rd floor, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA, 02118, USA. dhamer@bu.edu. 3. Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA. dhamer@bu.edu. 4. University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. 5. Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. 6. Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA. 7. Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. 8. Travel Medicine Center, Mount Auburn Hospital, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: While mosquitoes have been primarily responsible for outbreaks of Zika virus worldwide, most prominently in the Americas during 2015 and 2016, there has been increased recognition of the importance of sexual transmission. We review human reports and animal model studies of Zika sexual transmission and summarize potential therapeutic candidates. RECENT FINDINGS: Male-to-female, male-to-male, and female-to-male transmission has been reported, among unprotected sexual contacts of returning travelers. Human studies have shown the potential importance of long-term persistence of Zika virus in semen while animal models have begun to yield important insights into pathogenesis of Zika infection of the genital tract. Adherence to federal and global guidelines for prevention of sexual transmission of Zika virus from travelers to their sexual partners represents the best strategy for reducing the risk of transmission outside of endemic areas. Active research on potential treatments may soon yield candidates for clinical trials.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: While mosquitoes have been primarily responsible for outbreaks of Zika virus worldwide, most prominently in the Americas during 2015 and 2016, there has been increased recognition of the importance of sexual transmission. We review human reports and animal model studies of Zika sexual transmission and summarize potential therapeutic candidates. RECENT FINDINGS: Male-to-female, male-to-male, and female-to-male transmission has been reported, among unprotected sexual contacts of returning travelers. Human studies have shown the potential importance of long-term persistence of Zika virus in semen while animal models have begun to yield important insights into pathogenesis of Zika infection of the genital tract. Adherence to federal and global guidelines for prevention of sexual transmission of Zika virus from travelers to their sexual partners represents the best strategy for reducing the risk of transmission outside of endemic areas. Active research on potential treatments may soon yield candidates for clinical trials.
Entities:
Keywords:
Epidemiology; Semen; Sexual transmission; Zika virus
Authors: Carlos A M Carvalho; Samir M M Casseb; Rafael B Gonçalves; Eliana V P Silva; Andre M O Gomes; Pedro F C Vasconcelos Journal: J Gen Virol Date: 2017-07-12 Impact factor: 3.891
Authors: Mark R Duffy; Tai-Ho Chen; W Thane Hancock; Ann M Powers; Jacob L Kool; Robert S Lanciotti; Moses Pretrick; Maria Marfel; Stacey Holzbauer; Christine Dubray; Laurent Guillaumot; Anne Griggs; Martin Bel; Amy J Lambert; Janeen Laven; Olga Kosoy; Amanda Panella; Brad J Biggerstaff; Marc Fischer; Edward B Hayes Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 2009-06-11 Impact factor: 91.245
Authors: Susan L Hills; Kate Russell; Morgan Hennessey; Charnetta Williams; Alexandra M Oster; Marc Fischer; Paul Mead Journal: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep Date: 2016-03-04 Impact factor: 17.586
Authors: Sankar Swaminathan; Robert Schlaberg; Julia Lewis; Kimberly E Hanson; Marc R Couturier Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 2016-09-28 Impact factor: 91.245
Authors: Patrícia Brasil; José P Pereira; M Elisabeth Moreira; Rita M Ribeiro Nogueira; Luana Damasceno; Mayumi Wakimoto; Renata S Rabello; Stephanie G Valderramos; Umme-Aiman Halai; Tania S Salles; Andrea A Zin; Dafne Horovitz; Pedro Daltro; Marcia Boechat; Claudia Raja Gabaglia; Patrícia Carvalho de Sequeira; José H Pilotto; Raquel Medialdea-Carrera; Denise Cotrim da Cunha; Liege M Abreu de Carvalho; Marcos Pone; André Machado Siqueira; Guilherme A Calvet; Ana E Rodrigues Baião; Elizabeth S Neves; Paulo R Nassar de Carvalho; Renata H Hasue; Peter B Marschik; Christa Einspieler; Carla Janzen; James D Cherry; Ana M Bispo de Filippis; Karin Nielsen-Saines Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 2016-03-04 Impact factor: 91.245
Authors: Brian D Foy; Kevin C Kobylinski; Joy L Chilson Foy; Bradley J Blitvich; Amelia Travassos da Rosa; Andrew D Haddow; Robert S Lanciotti; Robert B Tesh Journal: Emerg Infect Dis Date: 2011-05 Impact factor: 6.883
Authors: Luisa Barzon; Monia Pacenti; Elisa Franchin; Enrico Lavezzo; Marta Trevisan; Dino Sgarabotto; Giorgio Palù Journal: Euro Surveill Date: 2016-08-11
Authors: Tereza Magalhaes; Brian D Foy; Ernesto T A Marques; Gregory D Ebel; James Weger-Lucarelli Journal: Virus Res Date: 2017-07-11 Impact factor: 3.303
Authors: Janis A Müller; Mirja Harms; Franziska Krüger; Rüdiger Groß; Simone Joas; Manuel Hayn; Andrea N Dietz; Sina Lippold; Jens von Einem; Axel Schubert; Manuela Michel; Benjamin Mayer; Mirko Cortese; Karen S Jang; Nathallie Sandi-Monroy; Miriam Deniz; Florian Ebner; Olli Vapalahti; Markus Otto; Ralf Bartenschlager; Jean-Philippe Herbeuval; Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit; Nadia R Roan; Jan Münch Journal: Nat Commun Date: 2018-06-07 Impact factor: 14.919
Authors: Vianey G Argüelles-Nava; María T Alvarez-Bañuelos; Daniel Córdoba-Suárez; Clara L Sampieri; María C Ortiz-León; Gabriel Riande-Juárez; Hilda Montero Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2018-11-14 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Jonny Hertzog; Antonio Gregorio Dias Junior; Rachel E Rigby; Claire L Donald; Alice Mayer; Erdinc Sezgin; Chaojun Song; Boquan Jin; Philip Hublitz; Christian Eggeling; Alain Kohl; Jan Rehwinkel Journal: Eur J Immunol Date: 2018-04-06 Impact factor: 5.532
Authors: Romulo L S Neris; Camila M Figueiredo; Luiza M Higa; Daniel F Araujo; Carlos A M Carvalho; Brunno R F Verçoza; Mariana O L Silva; Fabiana A Carneiro; Amilcar Tanuri; Andre M O Gomes; Marcelo T Bozza; Andrea T Da Poian; Christine Cruz-Oliveira; Iranaia Assunção-Miranda Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2018-06-28 Impact factor: 4.379