The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed a case of the Zika virus in Texas that appears to have been sexually transmitted from a woman already infected to a man who had traveled to Venezuela.
The Zika virus may seem far away to many IU students; after all, most news headlines have focused on the difficult health outcomes for babies in Brazil born to women infected with Zika during pregnancy.
However, the CDC notes that Zika is present in many places including Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Mexico, and the US Virgin Islands, all popular spring break destinations.
As a college professor who teaches human sexuality classes here at IU, I want students to be aware of this so that, as you make your spring break plans, you take steps to protect yourselves. You can stay up to date by checking www.CDC.gov and talking with a doctor or nurse.
Given the potential for Zika to be transmitted sexually, some healthcare professionals are urging men to wear condoms for 1-6 months after traveling to a place where Zika has been found.
Reproductive-aged women who are not on birth control might consider getting on birth control before traveling to places where Zika is prevalent if there is any chance that they might have sex while there, or if they might have sex with a male partner who traveled to such a place.
And whether or not a woman is using the birth control pill, patch, shot, ring, or an intrauterine device, it still might be wise to use condoms since Zika is associated with symptoms other than birth defects. Condoms, of course, are already recommended to reduce the risk of HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea — which is increasingly resistant to antibiotics — and other sexually transmitted infections.
The CDC’s confirmation of Zika being transmitted during sex is still new and there’s a lot that scientists and doctors still don’t know — how it’s transmitted or how long people who traveled to relevant countries should use condoms. A week? A month? Six months? That’s why I recommend that you keep visiting www.CDC.gov.
Finally, if the idea of asking a potential partner to use a condom feels awkward or uncomfortable, or if you’re not sure how to use a condom correctly or why else you might want to use a condom, then consider taking a human sexuality class here at IU.
Most students find that, by semester’s end, they are not only more knowledgeable about sex but more comfortable talking about it. We’d love to have you!
