Babies across the region, and at least one in the United States, have been born with abnormally smaller heads – a condition doctors call microcephaly, which can cause brain damage.
Advertisement
“Further studies are needed to confirm the association of microcephaly with Zika virus infection during pregnancy and to understand any other adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with Zika virus infection”, they wrote.
This could come in the form of an overarching announcement from the World Health Organization or the Pan American Health Organization that applies to all Zika-infected countries, rather than individual countries making recommendations.
Zika is carried by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which bites during the day, unlike the culex mosquito, which carries West Nile and bites at night.
Most people infected by Zika never experience symptoms, but they act as hosts helping to spread the disease and amplify an outbreak. Now, the CDC is recommending that pregnant women avoid the following countries: Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Martin, Suriname, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Barbados, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guadeloupe, Saint Martin, Guyana, Cape Verde, and Samoa.
Something new – and quite frightening – appears to be happening with the Zika virus. Due to the potential link between the Zika virus and microcephaly, the ACOG is recommending medical professionals to take more detailed patient histories for their female patients who are pregnant or have plans to get pregnant. The CDC said Friday it issued its travel advisory “out of an abundance of caution”.
A woman leaves her apartment as health workers fumigates her neighbourhood as part of preventive measures against the Zika virus and other mosquito-borne diseases in Soyapango, El Salvador, January 21, 2016.
“Have long sleeve shirts and trousers, wearing mosquito repellant, DEET is actually okay during pregnancy as look as you follow the normal guidelines”, said Dr. Kappenman. “And so we really are advising that pregnant women seriously consider postponing travel to these areas if possible”, says Beth Bell from the CDC.
Brazil has reported 4,000 cases of microcephaly – babies being born with small heads and under-developed brains.
Albert Ko, a professor of epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health, said a link between Zika and Guillain-Barre is “plausible and highly likely”.
She said: “All travellers, especially pregnant women going to the Americas, should ensure they seek travel health advice from their GP or a travel clinic well in advance of their trip”.
Advertisement
Brazil has the largest-known outbreak of the virus which has been linked to a spike in birth defects in new-born babies whose mothers were bitten by the mosquito during pregnancy.
