Yes, Zika can be transmitted through gay sex

America’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed a case of a man who likely contracted the Zika virus through sex with another man.

It appears that the Dallas man caught the virus after having unprotected anal sex with his partner, who had recently returned from a trip to Venezuela.

Other cases of heterosexual sexual transmission have been reported and the virus has been found in the semen of at least one man, said the CDC.

The organisation warned that the virus could be transmitted to any person who has “condomless sex (i.e., vaginal intercourse, anal intercourse, or fellatio) with a male partner” who travels to a Zika prone area and contracts the virus.

It’s not known how long the virus can stay in the semen of men who have had Zika.

The use of condoms has been recommended for any person having sex with a man who has travelled to areas affected by Zika. (It is not yet known if Zika can be transmitted through saliva or kissing.)

Nevertheless, CDC noted that the most common means of transmission is still through a bite by the Aedes species of mosquito. The virus has the greatest impact on pregnant women and their unborn babies, potentially causing various abnormalities in the children.

It’s also believed that adults who become infected with Zika could developed Guillain-Barré syndrome, which affects the muscles and can lead to paralysis and even death.

Most cases have been reported in South America, Central America and many parts of the Caribbean, as well as in Cape Verde, in Africa.