Homosexual and Zika virus infection: Is it a new start of new problem for gay?

Sir,

Zika virus infection is an important arboviral disease at present. It affects South America and causes numerous infected cases. The teratogenic effect due to infection leads the concerns of the medical society, and the WHO already declares for the urgent need to manage this disease.[1] The recent important finding is on the possibility of transmission of Zika virus due to sexual contact, and the great concern is there are some reports on male-to-male transmission among gays.[23] However, there is still an argument on the possibility of transmission by mosquito bite as a local transmission of the reported case. The close surveillance to update the data is required.[3] In fact, if there Zika virus can be transmitted by sexual contact, it will be very similar to the early period that HIV starts its worldwide pandemic. It is already proved that the Zika virus can be seen in semen[34] and can be further contagious. Indeed, there are already some reported cases of confirmed Zika virus transmission due to homosexual contacts[56] [Table 1 and Figure 1]. Deckard et al. confirmed that “Zika virus can be transmitted through anal sex” and first demonstrated the molecular laboratory confirmation evidence.[2] For male-to-male transmission, the source of virus can be in semen, prostate fluid, seminal vesicles, fluid, or preejaculate secretions[27] and the proposed mechanism of infection can be the direct invasion through anal canal, similar to the case of the direct invasion through the vaginal canal in male-to-female transmission. The awareness of Zika virus transmission by sexual contact is needed, and the homosexual contact should not be forgotten. Furthermore, gay has to be educated for the risk of possibility that Zika virus can be transmitted by homosexuality activity.

Table 1

Summary on reported cases of Zika virus transmission relating to homosexuality

Figure 1

Map showing the countries with already reported cases of homosexuality transmission of Zika virus infections

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Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.