Zika virus is now becoming a global threat and just as a way to make sure the most vulnerable group stays safe, health officials have issued a warning to pregnant women.
From now, any expectant mother should think twice before going on to kiss their partner’s lips. In addition, the warning extended to men, asking them to ensure that condoms are used when engaging in sexual intercourse with pregnant women. The deadly virus is believed to have started in South American country of Brazil and at the moment, U.S. health officials have already reported the possibility of the virus in the country.
The role of abortion in fight against Zika virus
As mentioned at the start, the most vulnerable persons as far as the Zika virus is concerned are expectant mothers. This is true because the virus is associated with brain abnormality in infants and if these women are exposed to the virus when expecting, the unborn babies can easily be infected.
As a result, UN officials are of the view that the tight Catholic laws about abortion in the Latin American region should be loosened. This will help take care of cases where expectant mothers are carrying fetus that might be at risk of this abnormality.
Brazil is leading the way as far as the think-twice-before-you-kiss warning is concerned, with Paulo Gadelha, who is the head of Fiocruz research institute, telling reporters that scientists have discovered that the Zika virus can thrive in human saliva and urine. Given that it is possible for the virus to spread through contact between two body fluids, there is a need to be extra careful when kissing your partner.
Pregnant mothers are advised to stick to kissing only one regular partner. In addition, they should avoid sharing things like plates and cutlery with infected persons.
Room for more research
Even though Gadelha’s revelations bring to the fold some new dimensions about the virus, he still adds that the Aedes aegpyti mosquito is the main medium of transmitting the Zika virus. It is this same mosquito that is responsible for India’s widespread chikungunya and dengue.
The observations made by the president of Fiocruz research center come from tests ran on two infected persons. The test results on cell cultures indicated that the Zika virus was still active and thus capable of causing some serious damage. While Zika has reportedly been thought to thrive in acidic environments, the fact that it lives in urine means that more research still needs to be done about this virus.
So, if you plan on visiting South America or maybe you have recently been there, make sure you watch who you kiss (for pregnant women) and always use a condom during sexual intercourse (for men). According to the latest stats, the virus has already hit over 20 Americas countries.