[A comparison of a normal baby's head to a baby born with microcephaly - Courtesy of CDC]
Since the Zika virus outbreak last year, many scientists tried to confirm links between the virus infection and birth defects including microcephaly. After a few months of study, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concluded that the Zika is the cause of microcephaly and other severe brain defects.
The CDC released a media statement on Wednesday, "This study marks a turning point in the Zika outbreak. It is now clear that the virus causes microcephaly. We are also launching further studies to determine whether children who have microcephaly born to mothers infected with the Zika virus is the tip of the iceberg of what we could see in damaging effects on the brain and other developmental problems," said Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., director of the CDC.
According to CDC's announcement, that women with Zika virus will not always give birth to babies with birth defects, but the risk is much higher than those of who are not infected.
The CDC director added that the situations of newborns with birth defects are just a "tip of the iceberg", and potential health risks are a much grave issue. The CDC still recommends that pregnant women to avoid traveling to Zika present countries.
Significant numbers of newborns from Zika infected mothers were reported with severe fetal brain defects, microcephaly was one of the defects. Microcephaly leads to newborns with unusually small heads, and brain damage.
Zika virus is spread to people through mosquito bites. Common symptoms of the virus are fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis (red eyes), which lasts from several days to a week.
In May 2015, Pan American Health organization (PAHO) issued an alert regarding the first virus infection in Brazil. The outbreak in Brazil reports of Guillain-Barre syndrome, which attacks nerve system and pregnant women giving birth to babies with birth defects.
WHO suspected that the Zika virus is causing infected pregnant women to give birth to babies with microcephaly. In October 2015, doctors noticed a surge in babies with the condition in northern Brazil.
Many health organizations worldwide are focusing their attention on Zika virus since it has no known vaccine. Pharmaceutical experts estimate at least 10 to 15 years will be required to develop vaccines.
As bad it is, there is no known cure for the virus. The governments in Ecuador, El Salvador, Colombia and Jamaica are recommending that women delay their pregnancies to avoid any possible birth defects.
아주경제 박세진 기자 = swatchsjp@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
