Zika Virus

This Zika virus which I had never heard of until this week, seems to be a real problem. I don't know much about it but the World Health Organisation seem really concerned about it.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/28/zika-virus-spreading-explosively-says-world-health-organisation?CMP=fb_gu

Reply 1

Aj12

18

Haven't really been following this one. But if it is anything like Ebola it may well have been bubbling under the surface for months. The world needs to sort itself out and start actively funding something like the WHO to focus solely on dangerous diseases. We are far too slow at taking action. Perhaps we should also be considering drastic action on Mosquitoes, they are a health nightmare.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 2

the bear

20

very sad to see infants suffering like that.

Reply 3

username47781

OP

20

First case was in Brazil last year sometime but far as I know, it isn't fatal, it just makes you get a bad fever.

Reply 4

Puddles the Monkey

21

Original post by Rock Fan

This Zika virus which I had never heard of until this week, seems to be a real problem. I don't know much about it but the World Health Organisation seem really concerned about it.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/28/zika-virus-spreading-explosively-says-world-health-organisation?CMP=fb_gu

Some countries are advising women to putt off getting pregnant until 2018 :frown:

This is some fully dystopian stuff. They are also considering releasing genetically modified mosquitos to eliminate the ones which can carry the virus.

Reply 5

Puddles the Monkey

21

Original post by Rock Fan

First case was in Brazil last year sometime but far as I know, it isn't fatal, it just makes you get a bad fever.

It's not that dangerous in adults but it causes fetuses to have birth defects, mostly microcephaly.

Here's an article.

Reply 6

Student403

19

What is your opinion on a suggestion to eradicate ~30 species of mosquitoes that threaten >1m people per year?

I read about this today.

Reply 7

aamirac

20

Brazil have the Olymics to host this year too!
Brazil have an increased pressure to eradicate these Mosquitos quickly and effectively.
Does anyone know if the birth defects in pregnant women is a proven consequence of the Zika virus?

Reply 8

Puddles the Monkey

21

Original post by aamirac

Brazil have the Olymics to host this year too!
Brazil have an increased pressure to eradicate these Mosquitos quickly and effectively.
Does anyone know if the birth defects in pregnant women is a proven consequence of the Zika virus?

I get a bit confused about how scientific proof works exactly, but there is a clinical link. It's looking pretty strong that it is a consequence. Governments are asking women no avoid becoming pregnant.

Reply 9

e aí rapaz

16

Original post by aamirac

Brazil have the Olymics to host this year too!
Brazil have an increased pressure to eradicate these Mosquitos quickly and effectively.
Does anyone know if the birth defects in pregnant women is a proven consequence of the Zika virus?

There is no proven link. The virus has been found in the placenta of some of the mothers that have given birth to babies with microcephaly. Additionally there has been an explosion in the number of babies being born with this disease in Brazil, alongside an explosion in the number of Zika cases, after the virus seemingly arrived from Africa around the time of the World Cup. They believe the two are linked but it's not yet proven.

It's worth noting that zika is spreading around most of south and central america, however no country other than Brazil is yet reporting such high numbers of cases of microcephaly. There are even people here in Brazil who are claiming that the microcephaly cases are actually linked to a bad batch of rubella vaccines distributed last year, and that the government are using the whole Zika thing to cover it up! Although that wouldn't surprise me where the Brazilian government is concerned, it does seem unlikely given the WHO's heavy involvement in the whole issue.

For now, it seems that pregnant women really need to take care in these countries not to get bitten. Some governments have advised delaying pregnancy until 2018, but the CDC in the US says it will be roughly 10 years until a vaccine would be largely available to the public, so delaying by 2 years seems kind of pointless right now. For everyone else, Zika is not an illness of any concern. It only causes symptoms in 75-80% of people who contract it, and those 20-25% who do show symptoms will get a light fever, maybe a rash. It's less severe than Dengue fever, which south/central america has been having to deal with for years.

Reply 10

username47781

OP

20

Now saying over 2,000 Colombian women have been infected.

Reply 11

e aí rapaz

16

Original post by Rock Fan

Now saying over 2,000 Colombian women have been infected.

Yes but how many cases of microcephaly have been recorded in Colombia this year, and how many are there normally?

That's the key thing here. If Zika is not linked to microcephaly (based purely on the Brazilian data, a link is theorised but certainly not proven), but if it's NOT linked, then it's a fairly harmless illness with no cause for concern at all.

There seems to be no information coming out of other countries in South America about increasing cases of babies born with microcephaly. Maybe it's just too soon - maybe Northeast Brazil was the epicentre of the virus in South America, in which case these other countries will start seeing more cases 9-12 months from now. Let's hope not.

Reply 12

username47781

OP

20

Original post by e aí rapaz

Yes but how many cases of microcephaly have been recorded in Colombia this year, and how many are there normally?

That's the key thing here. If Zika is not linked to microcephaly (based purely on the Brazilian data, a link is theorised but certainly not proven), but if it's NOT linked, then it's a fairly harmless illness with no cause for concern at all.

There seems to be no information coming out of other countries in South America about increasing cases of babies born with microcephaly. Maybe it's just too soon - maybe Northeast Brazil was the epicentre of the virus in South America, in which case these other countries will start seeing more cases 9-12 months from now. Let's hope not.

DOn't know if that's a worry or not the fact that there is a lack of information, from what I read Brazil was where it all started.

Zika Virus

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you