First US Case Of Sexually Transmitted Zika Confirmed In Texas

02/02/2016 05:51 pm ET | Updated 11 hours ago

The patient had sex with someone who had traveled to Venezuela.
An illustration of the Zika Virus, which symptoms include mild headaches, maculo
papular rash, fever, malaise, conjunctivitis, and arthralgia.
Dallas health officials announced Tuesday the first case of Zika virus had been
identified in the United States and was sexually transmitted. The U.S. Centers f
or Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the infection, but have not yet conf
irmed the mode of transmission.
An unnamed Dallas County patient contracted the virus after having sex with some
one who had recently returned to the United States from a trip to Venezuela, acc
ording to reports.
"Now that we know Zika virus can be transmitted through sex, this increases our
awareness campaign in educating the public about protecting themselves and other
s," Zachary Thompson, the director of Dallas County Health and Human services, s
aid in a statement. "Next to abstinence, condoms are the best prevention method
against any sexually transmitted infections."
Earlier case studies suggested that Zika virus could be transmitted sexually, bu
t were not conclusive. Still, it's important to remember that the primary vector
for transmission of Zika virus is by the Aedes aegypti mosquito.
"The science is clear to date that Zika virus is primarily transmitted to people
through the bite of an infected mosquito, Dr. Anne Schuchat, principal deputy di
rector of the CDC, said in a Jan. 28 press conference.
Zika virus hasn't been transmitted via mosquitoes in the U.S.
There have been local virus transmissions in 32 countries and territories to dat
e, most notably Brazil. Since October, there have been more than 4,000 reported
cases of microcephaly -- a birth defect in which babies are born with abnormally
small heads and neurological abnormalities -- that is strongly suspected to be
linked to the Zika virus, though they haven t been confirmed yet.
Unicef on Tuesday asked for $9 million to help educate Brazilian communities abo
ut eradicating mosquito breeding sites and mosquito bite prevention, according t
o the Associated Press.
The Dallas case comes on the heels of an announcement by the World Health Organi
zation on Monday, declaring a "public emergency of international concern" surrou
nding the Zika outbreak and clusters of microcephaly.

Read more Zika virus coverage:

The Latest On Zika: New Countries Are Added To The CDC's Watch List
Don't Know Anything About Zika Virus? Start Here.
Here's Why We Don't Have A Vaccine For Zika Virus
Zika Virus Is At Least 50 Years Old. Here's Why You're Only Hearing About It Now
.

A Zika Outbreak In The U.S. Is 'Likely,' CDC Says

An Illustrated Guide To The Zika Outbreak
Should You Get Tested For Zika Virus? A Flowchart
The Zika Virus Could Force Women To Have Unsafe Abortions
The Zika Virus Could Take A Huge Toll In The Americas
Hawaii Baby Contracts The First Case Of Zika Virus In The U.S.
Pregnant Women Shouldn't Travel To Countries With Zika Virus, CDC Says
4 Things To Know About Zika's Potential Spread To The U.S.
11 Comments
Christine Knapp
Texas? The whole damn country better be afraid because we all know what Texas th
inks of healthcare. Hey Scotty--beam the whole damn state up to somewhere else.
Please!
Like Reply 7 9 hrs
Gavin Combs
Really? You are actually praising the healthcare system throughout the rest of t
he nation as if it is something to be proud of? Unless you are from Canada, you
shouldn't be talking.
Like Reply 2 8 hrs
Rosa Duran
Your comment would be funnier if what you posted wasn't so damn true.
Like Reply 1 6 hrs
John Crown Bone Gap, Illinois
It's Texas, they can deal with the smaller skull sizes.. its not like they use m
ost of their brains anyway... They did elect Ted Cruz, George W Bush, and ummm w
hats the 3rd one.. ummmm uhhhhh oh yea... Rick Perry
Like Reply 5 8 hrs
Gavin Combs
You are from Illinois pal and you are criticizing other states about who they el
ected to office? Glass houses you are living in my friend. Glass houses. The urb
an legend is that the state prison in Illinois starts making a cell and mug shot
for the next governor once they are elected.
Like Reply 1 8 hrs
Gail Wilhelm
Here we go again. Another scare offensive by the news media just berfore a natio
nal election. It's going to be the ebola frenzy by the main stream media again.
Not one ebola death contracted in the US ever.
Like Reply 4 10 hrs
Christine Knapp
Dearest Gail How do you contract an ebola death? I'm thinking you can contract e
bola but having the virus does not automatically gaurantee you will die. So mayb
e the media frenzy actually did have something to do with the fact that ebola di
d no reach our shores. BTW--I'm not sure it was the main stream media that was t
he outlet yelling the loudest. Check your facts--it was the right wing conservat

ive yelling the loudest insisting that we close all borders and airports. Check
you facts.
Like Reply 3 9 hrs
James Turner LaSalle Senior High School
Christine Knapp the right wingers were enabled by the media who gave them a plat
form to gin up terror among the ill informed and easily frightened in order to g
et votes.. The virus DID reach our shores, we had several people very ill with i
t, but it was contained.
No doubt, they will find a way to blame Obama for this too.
Like Reply 4 9 hrs
Clarc King Bronx, New York
Another hoax, the MSM has gone nuts. Meanwhile the US national economy continues
into accelerating collapse. 100 million Americans are driven into poverty cause
d by the Wall St. system. 500,000 middle aged Americans died in the last 10 year
s. The presidential campaign won't mention it. Wall St's control of the Money an
d the Economy is the national security crisis. Let's discuss the national securi
ty.
Like Reply 2 9 hrs
Rosa Duran
Oh well, there are some people whose primary focus is upon the economy, money, a
ssets, financial portfolios and other wordly goods and than there are other peop
le and related organizations, like the World Health Organization where the prima
ry focus is upon disease control for the sake of humanity.
Like Reply 6 hrs
Bert Preston M
It's not politically correct to say these tens of thousands of immigrant unscree
ned children coming up from South Ameirca are carrying these diseases, so I won'
t say that.
Like Reply 6 hrs
Rosa Duran
*Sigh
Like Reply 6 hrs
Moan Ami Allendale, New Jersey
Texas. Of course.
Hopefully they will pass an open-carry condom law.
Like Reply 7 10 hrs
Gavin Combs
To bad we weren't in Jersey. Our governor could have shut down the turn pikes wh
ich completely paralyze the state and the virus would have no chance of spreadin
g.
Like Reply 4 8 hrs
Jim Dutch Zakos Ocala, Florida
they are not telling us the whole truth..
Like Reply 7 11 hrs
Christine Knapp
Jim Who is they? There is actually a ton of information on this subject over the
last few months. Get your head out of your game console and pay attention and y
ou won't have to be some kind of know nothing blaming all the problems on 'them'
!
Like Reply 2 9 hrs

Fucenae Mann
Christine Knapp failed horribly. When given a chance to teach you chose to scald
instead.... sad.
Like Reply 9 hrs
Kate Hetzel
Wait till the CDC comes clean and admits Lyme disease can be sexually transmitte
d. 300,000 new cases of Lyme a year and no cure!
Like Reply 1 9 hrs
Jeffrey Bjes Works at Maintaining My Sanity
They can't come clean about Lyme disease. There is too much evidence that it was
a man-made biological weapon.
Like Reply 4 hrs
Abe Drayton
Has it always been able to transmit this way, or is there clear evidence that th
is is new?
Like Reply 5 hrs
Jeffrey Bjes Works at Maintaining My Sanity
Good question. We are learning all these new facts about Zika, but it has been a
round Africa and Asia for quite a few years. Did it mutate in South America or d
id we just ignore the details until it got close to home?
Like Reply 2 hrs
Jens Ole Stilling Copenhagen, Denmark
Sex with a mosquito? What is going on?
Like Reply 3 hrs
Jeffrey Bjes Works at Maintaining My Sanity
You may feel a little prick.
Like Reply 2 hrs
Thomas OShaughnessy
Governor Abbot will stomp it out !
Like Reply 9 hrs
Gavin Combs
He will have to roll over it.
Like Reply 1 8 hrs