Florida confirms its 1st sexually transmitted case of Zika in 2017
The case was reported in Pinellas County, Florida.
— -- Florida has confirmed its first sexually transmitted case of Zika for this year, health officials said.
The Florida Department of Health announced in a statement Tuesday that the case was reported in Pinellas County. A resident's partner showed symptoms of infection by Zika, a frequently mosquito-borne virus, after a recent trip to Cuba. Both people tested positive for Zika.
"There is no evidence of ongoing transmission of Zika by mosquitoes in any area of Florida," the department said. "It is important to remember Zika can also be transmitted sexually and to take precautions if you or your partner traveled to an area where Zika is active."
There have been 118 Zika cases reported in Florida this year, with the majority linked to travel outside the continental United States. The locally acquired infections confirmed this year were all linked to exposure to the virus in 2016, according to the Florida Department of Health.
Zika is most commonly transmitted via infected mosquitoes; documented cases of transmission through sexual contact have been rare. Infection usually results in minor symptoms, including fever, rash, joint pain and pinkeye. However, if a woman is infected by Zika during pregnancy, the virus can cause devastating birth defects, including microcephaly.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that men diagnosed with a Zika infection wait at least six months before having unprotected sex with a female partner so that they do not infect her. Infected men who have a pregnant partner are advised to wear barrier contraception for the duration of the pregnancy.
The Food and Drug Administration does not routinely test donated sperm for Zika, but it forbids anonymous donations within six months of being diagnosed with Zika infection, traveling to an affected area or having sex with someone who may have been infected.