Business Standard : declared in Zika virus may impair male fertility: study

The persistence of Zika virus in the male reproductive organ can lead to sexual transmission and may impair fertility, according to a new study which found that the infection reduces the size of testes in mice up to 21 days after infection. In humans, Zika virus can remain in semen months after infection. However, before the current study, it was not clear how the virus affected the testes, which produce testosterone and sperm, researchers said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) "These results suggest that infection can cause reproductive deficiency in males," Uraki noted.The study results, which extend recent findings by other researchers, underscore the critical need for the development of a vaccine, as well as antiviral therapies, to combat Zika infection, the researchers said.The study was published in the journal Science Advances.

Marquette University hosts forum on Zika virus ahead of Spring Break

Please enable Javascript to watch this videoMILWAUKEE -- With Spring Break around the corner, Marquette University hosted a forum on the Zika virus on Thursday, February 23rd. Some of the main points of the forum included how the virus spreads, the potential risks and precautions students should take. The event was put together to educate students and the public about Zika, especially with students traveling for Spring Break. The College of Health and Sciences invited students to attend the forum called "Zika: Myths and Facts." One of the organizers said Zika is still a big concern, especially as the weather changes.


DETROIT -- Researchers at a Detroit institution were the first to find that the Zika virus can damage eyes and lead to blindness. The Kresge Eye Institute at the Wayne State University School of Medicine discovered the Zika virus can replicate in the eye's retinal cells and cause severe tissue damage, according to a news release from the school. "We studied the interaction of ZIKV (the Zika virus) with retinal cells. Ashok Kumar, Ph.D., led a team of researchers who investigated how and why the virus causes abnormalities in the eye. We observed that ZIKV can replicate and survive in retinal cells and ultimately kill them.



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