Zika Virus Found in Tears: What Do We Know?

Stephen Redd, MD (RADM, USPHS), Director of the Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response (OPHPR) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), discusses what is known about the study that found Zika virus in tears.

Interview Transcript (slightly modified for readability)

“This [study] was [done in] an animal model and I think, again, we don’t think this is going to be a major means of transmission of Zika virus. The epidemiology up to now really indicates that the primary means of transmission is through mosquito-borne transmission. We know that sexual transmission can occur and we would expect that transmission through blood that is obtained from a person during active infection also could transmit the virus. We think these would probably be the major means of transmission. I think whether this could be a very rare means of transmission is hard to say, but we don’t think it’s going to be a primary concern.”