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 Microcephaly, a rare birth defect in which babies develop abnormally
small heads, is one of a constellation of Zika-associated problems
increasingly being seen in children born to mothers infected during
pregnancy with the Zika virus.
Other types of birth defects observed include seizures, deafness,
blindness and a range of neurological and developmental
abnormalities.
Earlier this year, a U.S. analysis estimated the risk of
microcephaly following a mother's infection with the virus during
the first trimester of pregnancy at between 1 percent and 13
percent.
That figure does not include the overall risk of risk of birth
defects, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of
Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during a panel discussion on
Zika.
"If you're talking about any congenital defect I think it's going to
be much higher than 13 percent," he said. "I think we're going to
see something very disturbing."
The panel was presented by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
in collaboration with Reuters. (http://tinyurl.com/hhepvwj)
The World Health Organization declared a global health emergency
over Zika’s link to microcephaly in February. The mosquito-borne
virus has spread rapidly through the Americas, with Brazil hit
hardest so far. On Wednesday, the U.S. Congress approved $1.1
billion to fund research and efforts to contain Zika.
Speaking on the same Zika panel on Thursday, Dr. Marcia Castro, an
associate professor of demography at Harvard, said physicians in
Brazil are studying the initial wave of babies impacted by Zika who
are now reaching their first birthday.
In addition to seizures, agitation and frequent crying, these
children are also exhibiting a severe type of reflux that prevents
them from eating, she said, adding that it is unclear how long these
children will live.
"Another study with mice shows Zika also affects the brain of an
adult," she said, potentially impacting long-term memory and
depression.
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As of Sept. 17, Brazil had confirmed 1,949 cases of microcephaly
linked to Zika, mostly concentrated in the country’s northeast
region. Another 3,030 cases are still under investigation. In the
United States, the virus has infected tens of thousands of people on
the island territory of Puerto Rico.
The spread of the virus in Miami, Florida, where a handful of
locally transmitted cases emerged, has been limited through
aggressive mosquito control.
"Puerto Rico is going through a terrible situation and we have to
help them right now," Fauci said. "They really need our help."
With new Zika funding in hand, Fauci said the first priority will be
to move forward clinical trials of five potential vaccines.
(Additional reporting by Toni Clarke in Washington; Editing by
Michele Gershberg and Bernard Orr)
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