TY - JOUR AU - Atkinson, Barry AU - Thorburn, Fiona AU - Petridou, Christina AU - Bailey, Daniel AU - Hewson, Roger AU - Simpson, Andrew J.H. AU - Brooks, Timothy J.G. AU - Aarons, Emma T1 - Presence and Persistence of Zika Virus RNA in Semen, United Kingdom, 2016 T2 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal PY - 2017 VL - 23 IS - 4 SP - 611 SN - 1080-6059 AB - Zika virus RNA has been detected in semen collected several months after onset of symptoms of infection. Given the potential for sexual transmission of Zika virus and for serious fetal abnormalities resulting from infection during pregnancy, information regarding the persistence of Zika virus in semen is critical for advancing our understanding of potential risks. We tested serial semen samples from symptomatic male patients in the United Kingdom who had a diagnosis of imported Zika virus infection. Among the initial semen samples from 23 patients, Zika virus RNA was detected at high levels in 13 (56.5%) and was not detected in 9 (39.1%); detection was indeterminate in 1 sample (4.4%). After symptomatic infection, a substantial proportion of men have detectable Zika virus RNA at high copy numbers in semen during early convalescence, suggesting high risk for sexual transmission. Viral RNA clearance times are not consistent and can be prolonged. KW - Zika KW - semen KW - sexual transmission KW - flavivirus KW - viruses KW - infectious diseases KW - mosquitoborne KW - vector-borne infections KW - United Kingdom KW - RNA KW - persistence KW - Zika virus DO - 10.3201/eid2304.161692 UR - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/23/4/16-1692_article ER - End of Reference