title: Epidemiology, Prevention, and Potential Future Treatments of Sexually Transmitted Zika Virus Infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  While mosquitoes have been primarily responsible for outbreaks of Zika virus worldwide, most prominently in the Americas during 2015 and 2016, there has been increased recognition of the importance of sexual transmission. We review human reports and animal model studies of Zika sexual transmission and summarize potential therapeutic candidates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Male-to-female, male-to-male, and female-to-male transmission has been reported, among unprotected sexual contacts of returning travelers. Human studies have shown the potential importance of long-term persistence of Zika virus in semen while animal models have begun to yield important insights into pathogenesis of Zika infection of the genital tract. Adherence to federal and global guidelines for prevention of sexual transmission of Zika virus from travelers to their sexual partners represents the best strategy for reducing the risk of transmission outside of endemic areas. Active research on potential treatments may soon yield candidates for clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: Center for Global Health and Development, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. dhamer@bu.edu.|Department of Global Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Crosstown 3rd floor, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA, 02118, USA. dhamer@bu.edu.|Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA. dhamer@bu.edu.
authors.forename: Davidson H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Hamer
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.|Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jean
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Travel Medicine Center, Mount Auburn Hospital, Cambridge, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Lin H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Chen
keywords: Epidemiology; Semen; Sexual transmission; Zika virus