As students return from Spring Break trips in warmer weather, they should proceed with caution in their sexual endeavors.

There have recently been outbreaks of the Zika virus across the world. One of the main worries about the virus stems from the effects it has on human offspring.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the Zika virus disease spreads to people mainly through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito. The CDC also reports transmission from mother to child, through both blood transfusions and sexual contact with a partner during the pregnancy.

A pregnant woman can potentially pass the virus to her fetus during pregnancy or at delivery. As reported in the Brazilian cases, fetuses infected with the Zika virus might have microcephaly, a condition where the head has a smaller brain circumference because the brain stops growing or develops improperly.

Although more cases have been reported in foreign countries, there have been reports in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

This means it is imperative to practice safe sex. Always use a condom since birth control pills and many other types of contraceptives will not work against the Zika virus. A condom is especially beneficial since the virus is present in semen longer than in blood. This means that even if your significant other might seem healthy after their travels from foreign or domestic places, there is still a risk of them carrying the disease.

High levels of the Zika virus were found in semen up to 62 days after the start of the illness in a 2014 study conducted in the United Kingdom. The aged infected semen showed to be more potent with the virus than the original serum sample.

Women cannot pass the Zika virus to their sexual partners because, aside from blood, the virus does not live in a woman’s bodily fluids.

If your partner shows any signs of a mosquito bite, take caution when having sex. Visit a doctor if symptoms start to appear. The CDC reports the most common symptoms of Zika include a fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The symptoms last for several days to a week after being bitten by an infected mosquito.

However, many don’t get sick enough to go to the hospital. Consequently, people might not realize they have been infected.

This doesn’t mean one shouldn’t have sex. It does mean that if there is possible evidence one’s partner might have been exposed to the infected mosquito species, the partner should probably consult a professional for a diagnosis.

As always, practicing safe sex with a condom is the best way to go when trying to prevent any sexually transmitted disease.

Isabella Ong is a sophomore television, radio and film major. Her column appears weekly in Pulp. She can be reached on Twitter @isabella_ong.

Published on March 23, 2016 at 10:53 pm