His team’s statistical analysis of a Zika outbreak in French Polynesia in 2013-14 that spread to 2/3 of the population is the most rigorous attempt yet to quantify the risk of microcephaly, which emerges in fetuses.
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In the US, microcephaly affects 2.5 percent of births every year, leading to 25,000 annual diagnoses of the condition.
“The first case of the Zika virus transmitted in the country has been diagnosed”.
Zika is an infectious disease spread by the bite of a mosquito and now circulating in many warm-weather areas outside the United States.
But, final approval for the trial won’t come until the FDA considers comments from the public, which is likely to take months, the newspaper said.
Much remains unknown about the virus and whether it is the main factor behind microcephaly.
“Unfortunately, the more we learn, the worse things seem to get”, Fauci said. In addition, there are reports of a possible association with Guillain-Barré syndrome, an illness of the nervous system that can cause muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis.
As of March 9, no locally acquired cases have been reported in the U.S. All 193 confirmed cases across the country have been travel-related. Other than the link to viruses, microcephaly also can be caused by a chromosomal abnormality.
She said that not all mothers who have been infected by Zika virus will givge birth to babies with microcephaly.
“The best way to prevent diseases spread by mosquitoes is to protect yourself and your family from mosquito bites”, Davis added. “And it’s an uphill battle”.
The U.S. government revised its Zika travel warnings last week, saying it’s OK for pregnant women to travel to Mexico City and other places at high elevation in outbreak regions.
Abilene health officials issued a warning for travelers planning on visiting central and South America for spring break to avoid catching the Zika virus. To date, Congress has not approved the funding and both Frieden and Fauci expressed concern that efforts to fight Zika are in jeopardy if the funds aren’t forthcoming.
Zika is usually a mild illness. “He has been cured”, the government source said.
The list of countries, as well as some USA territories, with Zika cases continues to grow. “With mosquito season fast approaching, we want to ensure that all citizens know the serious risks these insects pose as well as what can be done from a prevention standpoint”. Therefore, transmission of the virus from human-to-mosquito and then from mosquito-to-human is extremely unlikely. It could also lead to developmental disabilities, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
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Florida now can test more than 4,300 people for active Zika virus and 1,400 people for the antibody, which shows if they’ve ever been exposed to the virus.
