WHO doubles suggested abstinence period after travel to Zika zones
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/31/who-doubles-suggested-abstinence-period-after-travel-to-zika-zones
WHO doubles suggested abstinence period after travel to Zika zones
Reuters in Geneva
Tuesday 31 May 2016 12.50 BST Last modified on Wednesday 1 June 2016 00.10 BST
People returning from areas where the Zika virus is found should follow safe sex practices or abstain from sex for at least eight weeks, the World Health Organisation has said. The recommendation, which doubles the abstinence period the WHO had previously advised, comes after scientists found that the virus lingers longer than previously thought in blood or other body fluids.
If the male partner in a couple planning pregnancy has symptoms of the Zika virus, the period of safe abstinence should be six months, said the WHOs spokesman Christian Lindmeier.
(snip)
The spokesman said scientists were still investigating how long the virus could be traced in saliva, and tests so far had been inconclusive. All this is being studied to see where else we find the virus and how long it sustains there, he said.