Human semen keeps viruses

The current analysis revealed genetic evidence of many infectious viruses found in semen. Semen provides a hiding place and breeding ground for many dangerous viruses

Zika, Ebola, Marburg, Lassa fever, Chikungunya, Mumps, Epstein-Barr and Chhicken pox are present in human semen. Non-sexually transmitted viruses can persist in semen, and this increases the risk of sexual transmission.

 The presence of viruses in semen does not mean that every virus can be sexually transmitted, common viruses in semen are: hepatitis viruses, herpes viruses, and range of other viruses that can be pass from person-to-person via blood, saliva or other means.

It is easy for viruses to get in to the semen, but relatively hard for the immune system to kill the viruses, the immune system recognized sperm as foreign objects in the body and this subject sperm to attack from the immune system.

For sperm to survive, the testes are immunologic locations in the body, where the immune system does not have much access to, this immunological location can also protect dangerous viruses.

Zika is cleared from the bloodstream within one week of treatment, but can persist in semen for months, Ebola survivors can reigniting an outbreak because the virus remained latent and active in their testicles.
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Zika may not last in semen as thought

According to the latest research, Zika virus might not remain in the semen of some infected men as long as previously thought.

The researchers said Zika may only be present in semen for about a month. Previous research had suggested that Zika virus can be found in semen for as long as 188 days after the onset of symptoms.

The new study included 12 men in French Guiana who had Zika virus. Four of the men never had any detectable Zika in their semen. One excreted Zika virus in his semen for at least three days. And seven had Zika-laced semen for at least a month.

The maximum duration of detectable Zika in semen in the study was 45 days.
These data suggest that not all men who are symptomatically infected with Zika virus will have Zika virus RNA detectable in semen.

The results also showed that Zika does replicate in the testicles or semen-producing glands, since the amount of Zika in semen was significantly different than the Zika load found in the men's blood.

Zika causes neurological birth defects, most commonly microcephaly, a condition in which a baby's brain and skull are underdeveloped.
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