CDC: Strong signs Brazil birth defects are tied to mosquito

Since then, the virus has spread and has caused infections in many Brazilian states and other countries in Latin America.

“The evidence is becoming very, very strong of the link between the two”, said Dr. Lyle Petersen, director of mosquito-borne diseases at the CDC. According to a preliminary analysis of research carried out by Brazilian authorities, the greatest risk of microcephaly and malformations is associated with infection during the first trimester of pregnancy. Brazil announced on November 28 that researchers had found the Zika virus present in brain tissue of a newborn with microcephaly who died. “The main issue we are just realizing is the infection of pregnant women during early stages of pregnancy that can result in frightful anomalies to the fetus and to the baby”. Authorities in Brazil – which has reported a more than twentyfold increase in the rate of babies born with microcephaly in the past few months – asked the CDC for help and provided the samples. Even though symptoms are usually mild and last no more than a week, investigators are finding that it could be linked to more serious conditions; and without a vaccine or specific treatment, this virus can cause some life-changing damage. The microcephaly, as it is called, has not been proven to be caused by Zika, but people are so alarmed that, as one commenter here wrote, “People here are very anxious about Zika virus, especially pregnant women and the ones trying to get pregnant… I fully expect Zika will make its way up north and if it can adapt to mosquitoes in Canada, there’s a good likelihood it will spread”, Tetro warns.

“Every woman of childbearing age and (those who are) sexually active must use mosquito nets because they have the possibility of having a pregnancy if it´s not planned”, Guzman said. According to the Center for Disease Control, symptoms include fever, rash, vomiting, headaches, conjunctivitis and joint pain that can last for several weeks. Perinatal transmission has been reported with other mosquito-borne viruses such as dengue and chikungunya.

On Jan. 4, 2016, the MoH of Brazil provided the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) with an epidemiological report regarding the increase of microcephaly cases in the country.

New York City police say they’re looking for video evidence on three cellphones seized from teen boys suspected in the gang rape of an 18-year-old Brooklyn woman. “We need to investigate more”, Petersen said. “We found virus in the heads of those children”, Petersen said.

Zika virus is making its way through more than a dozen countries, such as Puerto Rico and Mexico.