WHO: Sexual spread of Zika more common than formerly thought

Associated Press

GENEVA

Sexual transmission of the Zika virus is more common than previously thought, the World Health Organization said Tuesday, citing reports from several countries.

After a meeting of its emergency committee on Tuesday, the U.N. health agency also said there is increasing evidence that a spike in disturbing birth defects and neurological problems are caused by Zika, which is spread mostly by mosquito bites. When WHO declared the explosive outbreak in the Americas to be a global emergency last month, it said that the evidence that Zika was responsible was only circumstantial.

WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan said “reports and investigations in several countries strongly suggest that sexual transmission of the virus is more common than previously assumed.” The U.S. is investigating more than a dozen possible cases of Zika in people who may have been infected through sex.

Dr. Bruce Aylward, who is directing WHO’s response to Zika, said the cases seen so far of sexual transmission of Zika have been from men to women. He doubted sex would play an important role in the disease’s spread.

“The mosquito is undoubtedly still the main driver of transmission,” he said.

Chan also said nine countries now have reported increasing cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare condition that may be linked to Zika and can cause temporary paralysis and death in people of all ages. She said that problems connected to Zika, including Guillain-Barre syndrome, are being seen not just in women of child-bearing age, but children, teenagers and older adults.