Search Here

Sperm donations in Florida are said to be infected with Zika Virus. The disease had an outbreak in Latin America in 2016 and is not yet rectified.

Zika Virus made it big in 2016 and the world Health Organization declared it as an outbreak. As of the latest update in regards to the disease, the CNN mentioned that some sperm banks in Flordia may be affected with the virus.

Dr. Peter Marks, director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research at the US Food and Drug Administration, explained that donated specimen are often frozen. Despite going through a rigorous process for the fertilized eggs, he stated that Zika virus might still be present.

"When semen is donated it can be stored frozen for periods of time. It does not necessarily inactivate Zika, so it could be stored in tissue banks, used subsequently and people should be made aware," Dr. Marks stated. "Women might want to use these donations from other sources."

Dr. Marks pointed out that people looking for the specimen might want to have other sources other than the ones in Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, and Broward counties. Though it was previously announced that Wynwood neighborhood of Miami was already Zika-Free in December 2016, health care experts still push for safety precautions.

In regards to the widespread of Zika virus, it was explained that 80 percent of those who are infected by the virus do not have symptoms. The only symptoms that they may be getting are fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes. These symptoms would only last for a week.

Zika virus is known to be sexually transmitted; thus using protection during sex is highly encouraged. CDC officially announced that they are already doing their best to rectify the widespread of the disease among sperm banks in the United States.

Safety precaution is still advised, especially for people who would travel to Latin America.