Study: Zika virus persisted in semen for 3 months in 95% of men

The Zika virus was cleared from semen after around three months for 95 percent of men, in a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Current Zika protection guidelines recommend that men use condoms or abstain from sex for 6 months after Zika exposure.

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Reseachers evaluated samples from 150 participants, including 55 men, in whom they detected the Zika virus — ZIKV RNA. They collected serum, urine, saliva, semen and vaginal secretions weekly for the first month and then at two, four and six months. They calculated “time until the loss” of Zika virus detection in each body fluid.

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The time until the loss of virus detection was:

Serum
Median: 14 days
95th percentile: 54 days

Urine
Median: 8 days
95th percentile: 39 days

Semen
Median: 34 days
95th percentile: 81 days

Few participants had detectable Zika virus in saliva or vaginal secretions.

“The prolonged time until ZIKV RNA clearance in serum in this study may have implications for the diagnosis and prevention of ZIKV infection,” the study authors concluded.

More articles on healthcare quality:
How far do germs travel after a sneeze? It’s farther than you think
Bedside hand hygiene improves when extra healthcare workers are present, study shows
CDC updates vaccine guidelines for adults: 4 things to know

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