LA County Sees First Case Of Sexually-Transmitted Zika Virus

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – A woman has become the first person in Los Angeles County to become infected with the Zika virus through sexual contact.

The L.A. County Department of Public Health reported Thursday that a woman contracted the virus after having sex with her male partner, who himself became infected in November following a trip to Mexico.

Of the 125 patients who have been diagnosed with Zika in L.A. County since 2015, all but four of them contracted it through a bite from an infected mosquito while traveling in another region.

There have been no cases of Zika in the county linked to local mosquitoes, the LACDPH said. The Aedes mosquito, which can carry Zika, is found throughout the county, however.

If a male partner is diagnosed or exposed to Zika, couples should use condoms or abstain from sex for six months, the health department said. If a female partner is exposed, the couple should abstain for eight weeks.

Most cases of Zika are not serious, with patients showing mild symptoms to none at all, LACDPH said. Symptoms develop three to seven days after infection and can include fever, joint pain, rash, red eyes and muscle pain.

Aedes mosquitos breed near standing water. To reduce the spread of Zika, make sure to remove sources of standing water such as flower pot saucers, buckets and old tires from around your home.

In June, eggs from a species of Aedes, known as the Asian tiger mosquito, was detected in Pasadena for the first time. The Asian tiger mosquito can transmit Zika, dengue and chikungunya.

For more information on the Zika virus, click here.