Admin Posted February 29, 2016 Report Share Posted February 29, 2016 PAN AMERICAN HEALTH ORGANIZATION www.paho.orgWORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION www.who.intNews and Public InformationMedia Advisory Researchers to tackle Zika virus unknowns and needs at PAHO meeting Washington, DC, February 29, 2016—Renowned researchers from key institutions will discuss needs in developing a research agenda on the Zika virus outbreak and its implications, at a special meeting at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) March 1-2, 2016. They plan to identify current gaps in scientific knowledge of Zika virus, its impact on humans, and its public health implications for the Americas. They also plan to look at the mosquito vector of Zika virus and what vector controls tools are working against Aedes aegypti mosquitos. Key sessions include overviews of the Zika situation. PAHO is bringing in participants from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), United States; the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, known as Fiocruz and the Evandro Chagas Institute, Brazil; the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom; the Institute Pasteur in Paris, Dakar and Cayenne; and the Institute Pedro Kouri in Cuba. Other researchers and experts are attending from Institute Julio Maiztegui from Argentina, National Health Institute of Colombia, Public Health Agency Canada, National Public Health Institute of Mexico, University of West Indies, Gorgas Institute from Panama, as well as from France, and French Polynesia. The aim of the sessions is to discuss and resolve, where possible, issues including coordination and financing; networks; transversal programs; collaboration between academia and public health agencies; and reporting data and results. A press briefing with key participants is planned at the conclusion of the meeting. WHAT: Briefing on Zika virus research at PAHO meeting WHEN: Wednesday, March 2, 2016 TIME: 13:00 hs (Washington, DC Time) WHERE: PAHO HQs, Room B, 525 23rd St., NW, Washington, DC (Corner 23rd St. & Virginia Ave) HOW: Briefing will be in person Live through livestream: (please copy and paste this link on a new browser) English: www.livestream.com/paho Spanish: www.livestream.com/ops Call-in (floor sound, questions by email or livestream chat only) Call 5 minutes before 13:00 hs. (Washington, DC time) Telephone: + 1 202 974-3075 Meeting ID: 1234 Qs & As AFTER THE PRESENTATION Questions can be sent through the livestream chat or by email: [email protected] Links:PAHO Zika/microcephaly: www.paho.org/zikavirus Microcephaly http://www.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_topics&view=article&id=432&Itemid=41709&lang=en Countries and territories with Zika autochthonous transmission in the Americashttp://www.paho.org/hq/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11603&Itemid=41696&lang=en http://www.paho.org http://www.facebook.com/PAHOWHOhttp://www.youtube.com/pahopin http://twitter.com/pahowho #Zika #FightAedes #Zikavirus Media Contacts:Media team, [email protected],Leticia Linn, [email protected], +1 202 974 3440Daniel Epstein, [email protected], +1 202 974 3579Sonia Mey-Schmidt, [email protected], +1 202 974 3036Department of Communications, PAHO/WHO – www.paho.org Sonia Mey-SchmidtMedia Relations and CommunicationPhone: +1 202 974-3036Mobile: +1 202 251-2646Fax: +1 202 974-3143[email protected]PAHO/WHO – Follow us on PAHO/WHO525 23rd Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037 USA www.paho.orgwww.facebook.com/pahowho www.twitter.com/pahowho #pahowhowww.youtube.com/pahopin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 Starting at 1:00 PM ET Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 pahopin: Media briefing ZikaDEberwine: TestingPaola: Testingmedpage: tstingDEberwine: We will begin shortlyDEberwine: The moderator is Leticia Linn, PAHO communication advisorDEberwine: Speakers (in order of presentation) are:DEberwine: Marcos Espinal, Director of the Department of Communicable Diseases and Health Analysis, PAHO/WHODEberwine: Paulo Buss, Director, Global Health Center, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), BrazilDEberwine: Amadou Sall, Scientific Director, Pasteur Institute in Dakar, SenegalFabioBrazil: TestDEberwine: Lyle Petersen, Director, Division of Vector-Borne Diseasses, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Anne Gulland: When is this press conference going to start?Tianna: Will the phone call number become live? We can only hear one another, not the speakersDEberwine: Pretty soon. Will check on the phone line nowTianna: Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 Starting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted March 3, 2016 Report Share Posted March 3, 2016 INFECTIOUS DISEASE 03.02.20160 COMMENTSZika Outbreak Needs Intensive, Rapid ResearchInternational meeting outlines strategy for studySAVESAVED by Michael Smith North American Correspondent, MedPage Today The Zika virus outbreak -- with its possible link to neurological complications both in unborn children and adults -- is a "unique situation" that calls for rapid and intensive research into ways of bringing it under control, a U.S. scientist said."We must move extremely quickly" to understand the virus, the consequences of infection, and methods of slowing or stopping transmission, according to Lyle Petersen, MD, of the CDC's division of vector borne-diseases in Fort Collins, Colo.Currently, "there are literally thousands of infections occurring every single day in the Americas," Petersen told reporters at the end of a two-day scientific meeting called by the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) to set a research agenda for the Zika epidemic.Petersen said in 20 years of studying vector-borne diseases, he has never seen one that appears to be able to infect fetuses and cause congenital malformations in the brain as well as causing neurological complications in adults. It's also the first, he said, that is "readily spread" by sexual means."Because this is a unique situation it requires a unique response and this response has to be guided by research," he said.The meeting, including some 70 scientists from around the world, was intended to set research priorities to deal with the outbreak, according to Marcos Espinal, MD, of the PAHO's communicable diseases and health analysis department.Among the topics that need urgent attention, he said, are:Learning the absolute risk that a pregnant woman, infected with Zika, will see an adverse outcome for the babyFinding ways to detect the virus in the bloodUnderstanding the virus itself, as well as the consequences of infectionDeveloping new ways of controlling the main vector, the mosquito Aedes aegypti The World Health Organizationdeclared aninternational public health emergencyover the possible link between the expanding Zika outbreak in the Americas and reported spikes in cases of congenital brain malformations and Guillain-Barre syndrome in the region.Espinal told reporters that Zika has been associated with congenital brain malformations (which have been lumped together as microcephaly, although others have been reported) in Brazil and in French Polynesia, while increased rates of Guillain-Barré syndrome have been reported in both those regions as well as Suriname, Venezuela, Colombia, and El Salvador.So far, he said, 31 countries in the Americas are reporting Zika epidemics, with more than 135,000 cases reported and 3,000-odd confirmed in the lab. But that number underestimates the extent of the issue, he said, because in 80% of infections there are no signs or symptoms.Because it is usually mild or asymptomatic, Zika has been a "pretty obscure virus," Petersen noted, with only a handful of research papers since it was first discovered in the middle of the last century.It's not clear why the virus is now being associated with more serious outcomes, he said. But the outbreak illustrates the effect of neglecting public health measures and the need to be prepared, he said. In recent years, he said, responses to vector-borne disease -- such as mosquito control programs -- have been allowed to "deteriorate."But "new things happen and unexpected things happen and we have to be prepared," Petersen said.He added the evidence is becoming "extremely strong" for a link between Zika and neurological complications in newborns.For that reason, he said, there should also be research on ways to protect pregnant women, including such things as bednets to prevent mosquito bites, insect repellents, indoor mosquito spraying, and condoms to prevent sexual transmission.Such products are available, he said. "We just need to figure out is these are acceptable methods that women will actually use in their own countries and whether they actually work," Petersen said.http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/GeneralInfectiousDisease/56515 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zika Outbreak Needs Intensive, Rapid ResearchInternational meeting outlines strategy for studySAVESAVED by Michael Smith North American Correspondent, MedPage Today The Zika virus outbreak -- with its possible link to neurological complications both in unborn children and adults -- is a "unique situation" that calls for rapid and intensive research into ways of bringing it under control, a U.S. scientist said."We must move extremely quickly" to understand the virus, the consequences of infection, and methods of slowing or stopping transmission, according to Lyle Petersen, MD, of the CDC's division of vector borne-diseases in Fort Collins, Colo.Currently, "there are literally thousands of infections occurring every single day in the Americas," Petersen told reporters at the end of a two-day scientific meeting called by the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) to set a research agenda for the Zika epidemic.Petersen said in 20 years of studying vector-borne diseases, he has never seen one that appears to be able to infect fetuses and cause congenital malformations in the brain as well as causing neurological complications in adults. It's also the first, he said, that is "readily spread" by sexual means."Because this is a unique situation it requires a unique response and this response has to be guided by research," he said.The meeting, including some 70 scientists from around the world, was intended to set research priorities to deal with the outbreak, according to Marcos Espinal, MD, of the PAHO's communicable diseases and health analysis department.Among the topics that need urgent attention, he said, are:Learning the absolute risk that a pregnant woman, infected with Zika, will see an adverse outcome for the babyFinding ways to detect the virus in the bloodUnderstanding the virus itself, as well as the consequences of infectionDeveloping new ways of controlling the main vector, the mosquito Aedes aegypti The World Health Organizationdeclared aninternational public health emergencyover the possible link between the expanding Zika outbreak in the Americas and reported spikes in cases of congenital brain malformations and Guillain-Barre syndrome in the region.Espinal told reporters that Zika has been associated with congenital brain malformations (which have been lumped together as microcephaly, although others have been reported) in Brazil and in French Polynesia, while increased rates of Guillain-Barré syndrome have been reported in both those regions as well as Suriname, Venezuela, Colombia, and El Salvador.So far, he said, 31 countries in the Americas are reporting Zika epidemics, with more than 135,000 cases reported and 3,000-odd confirmed in the lab. But that number underestimates the extent of the issue, he said, because in 80% of infections there are no signs or symptoms.Because it is usually mild or asymptomatic, Zika has been a "pretty obscure virus," Petersen noted, with only a handful of research papers since it was first discovered in the middle of the last century.It's not clear why the virus is now being associated with more serious outcomes, he said. But the outbreak illustrates the effect of neglecting public health measures and the need to be prepared, he said. In recent years, he said, responses to vector-borne disease -- such as mosquito control programs -- have been allowed to "deteriorate."But "new things happen and unexpected things happen and we have to be prepared," Petersen said.He added the evidence is becoming "extremely strong" for a link between Zika and neurological complications in newborns.For that reason, he said, there should also be research on ways to protect pregnant women, including such things as bednets to prevent mosquito bites, insect repellents, indoor mosquito spraying, and condoms to prevent sexual transmission.Such products are available, he said. "We just need to figure out is these are acceptable methods that women will actually use in their own countries and whether they actually work," Petersen said.http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/GeneralInfectiousDisease/56515
niman Posted March 3, 2016 Report Share Posted March 3, 2016 CDC Doctor Says There’s No Question Zika Is Linked to Microcephaly Written byKALEIGH ROGERSSTAFF WRITER 3 March 2016 // 06:40 PM CET As Zika continues to spread rapidly across Latin America, a US Centers for Disease Control doctor says there “isn’t any question” the virus is linked to microcephaly, a condition where a baby is born with an abnormally small head.“The link between the Zika virus and microcephaly is extremely strong,” said Dr. Lyle Petersen, the director of the division of vector-borne diseases at the CDC, during a press conference Wednesday. “There are numerous lines of evidence now that link Zika with microcephaly, so I don’t think there’s any question about that any longer.”That link is strong enough that Canada recently joined the list of countries urging women to delay pregnancy (in this case, only if they have travelled to a Zika-infected country). Meanwhile, Google has pledged $1 million towards Zika research, and has also updated search engine results to prioritize updated information about the virus in affected areas.The stronger language being used by experts to describe the relationship between Zika and microcephaly is a significant shift. Officials are always cautious when early reports of a potential link between two events emerge, because until we compile more evidence, it’s not always clear whether the two are actually related or just a coincidence. Gradually, evidence has been accumulating, making researchers more confident in their claims about the link between Zika and microcephaly. It’s still not known exactly what the risk is, but the evidence is convincing many doctors and scientists that the two are directly connected.What’s not as clear is the link between the virus and growing reports of Guillain-Barré syndrome: a disorder which can cause temporary, months-long paralysis and weaken muscles. An increase in cases have been reported in six countries where Zika is also present, and a a Lancet study study published this week showed there was also an increase in Guillain-Barré during a Zika outbreak in French Polynesia back in 2014. But Petersen said the evidence of a link isn’t as strong as with microcephaly.“It’s just because we don’t have the pathological evidence [that we do with microcephaly],” Petersen explained. “But there’s growing accumulation [of evidence] every day that that’s the case.”Still, the evidence of a link between Zika and Guillain-Barré is growing, in much the same pattern as microcephaly, and following a similar path from “this is a notable correlation” to “there is a definite link here.”In light of this, the Pan American Health Organization hosted more than 70 scientists this week for a summit in Washington, DC, to talk about what needs to be done as we learn more about the risks associated with this previously overlooked virus. There are multiple projects currently underway to fight the spread of the Zika: developing a more efficient test for the virus, creating a vaccine, determining the exact risk of microcephaly and Guillain-Barré, and improving vector control: avoiding and killing off the mosquitoes that spread the virus.These are all necessary actions but, with the exception of vector control, they’re actions that are going to take time. Early trials for a vaccine are still months, if not years, away. Newer, quicker tests for the virus have been developed, but distributing these tests across affected countries, particularly countries with underfunded healthcare systems, is no easy task. And even though control studies on both microcephaly and Guillain-Barré have begun, results won’t be available for months.In the meantime, public health agencies, governments, and NGOs need to also focus on getting information out so people can avoid getting infected, particularly pregnant women, Petersen said. Brazil has even enlisted its army to disseminate information and destroy mosquito breeding grounds. Petersen said there are several ways to prevent the spread, from bednets, to insecticides, window and door screens, bug repellant, and even condoms—because Zika has been shown to be sexually transmitted, as well.“All of these methods can be employed right now. We have products available that can be used,” Petersen said. “We just need to figure out whether these are acceptable methods that women will actually use in their own countries.”http://motherboard.vice.com/en_uk/read/cdc-doctor-says-theres-no-question-zika-is-linked-to-microcephaly-virus-brazil-guillain-barre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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