Sex Implicated In US's First Zika Transmission

Sexual contact was considered a likely mode of Zika virus transmission until Tuesday when reports emerged claiming US's first case of transmission was likely through sex.

USA Today reports that the person infected by virus in Texas had sexual contact with a person with a history pf travel to Venezuela. The infected person does not have any history of travel to countries which are witnessing outbreak. Health officials ruled out mosquito bite as a likely cause as the vectors in mainland US are not carriers yet of the virus.

Zika Virus causes mild symptoms in only 20 percent of the infected. Infections often resolve without treatment and rarely lead to death in adults. However maternal infection with virus is associated with high risk of microcephaly in the fetus. Brazil, among other South and Central American countries, has seen thousands of babies born with the defect associated with debilitating neurological problems. Microcephaly causes babies to be born with small heads.

In at least two countries couples have been asked to put of pregnancy plans until tools to tackle the virus are available. Echoing sentiments of experts, Reuters reported that a vaccine was months away.

It was also reported that drug-maker Sanofi Pasteur on Tuesday announced it would develop a vaccine for the virus. Other companies too have set out to develop a vaccine while one US company is working treatment for the virus.