niman Posted March 4, 2016 Report Share Posted March 4, 2016 Researchers have diagnosed one newborn with microcephaly — an abnormally small head — and two others with congenital brain abnormalities, says Alfonso Rodriguez-Morales, who chairs the Colombian Collaborative Network on Zika (RECOLZIKA), which made the diagnoses. All three tested positive for the presence of Zika virus. The researchers have submitted a report of their detections to a scientific journal.http://www.nature.com/news/first-zika-linked-birth-defects-detected-in-colombia-1.19502 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted March 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2016 First Zika-linked birth defects detected in ColombiaCases may signal start of anticipated wave of birth defects in country hit hard by Zika virus.Declan Butler04 March 2016Article toolsRights & PermissionsLuis Robayo/AFP/Getty ImagesBrochures with information about the Zika virus have been delivered to pregnant women in Colombia.Researchers have found Colombia's first cases of birth defects linked to the Zika virus, Nature has learned — which are likely forerunners of a widely anticipated wave of Zika-related birth defects in the country.The discovery is perhaps no surprise: the virus arrived in Colombia last September, and the country is second only to Brazil in terms of the number of people infected with Zika.But Colombian researchers hope that plans put in place to closely monitor pregnant women can help to better establish the magnitude of the threat posed to fetuses by Zika. That is a crucial question that scientists have not so far been able to answer with the data from Brazil.Related storiesSpectre of Ebola haunts Zika responseZika researchers release real-time data on viral infection study in monkeysProving Zika link to birth defects poses huge challengeMore related storiesResearchers have diagnosed one newborn with microcephaly — an abnormally small head — and two others with congenital brain abnormalities, says Alfonso Rodriguez-Morales, who chairs the Colombian Collaborative Network on Zika (RECOLZIKA), which made the diagnoses. All three tested positive for the presence of Zika virus. The researchers have submitted a report of their detections to a scientific journal.Rodriguez-Morales, an infectious-diseases epidemiologist at the Technological University of Pereira in western Colombia, says that he expects to see a rise in cases of Zika-linked birth defects starting in two or three months' time. The RECOLZIKA group — a network of researchers and public-health institutions across Colombia — are already investigating a handful of other suspected cases of microcephaly, which have a possible link to Zika.The next wave?Brazil is the only country so far to report a large surge in newborns with microcephaly that coincides with outbreaks of Zika virus. By the time the alarm over a possible microcephaly link was raised there (in October 2015), Zika infections had already peaked in many parts of the country, because the virus first reached Brazil at the beginning of last year.In Colombia, by contrast, researchers detected the first Zika cases in September, and by December had set up national tracking programmes to monitor pregnant women for signs of infection, and to spot early signs of birth defects in fetuses. Since then, researchers have been waiting attentively to see whether their country might experience a similar rise in birth defects.The true size of Brazil's surge in microcephaly cases is unknown. The country's health ministry says that 5,909 suspected microcephaly cases have been registered since early November, but only 1,667 of them have been investigated so far. Of those, 1,046 have been discarded as false positives, and 625 have been confirmed. (A link with the Zika virus has been confirmed by molecular-lab tests in 82 cases.)Given that Brazil reported only 147 cases of microcephaly in 2014, the reported increase in cases since November suggests a marked rise in the number of babies born with the condition. But the 2014 figure is a “huge underestimate”, says Lavinia Schüler-Faccini, a geneticist who specialises in birth defects at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and president of the Brazilian Society of Genetic Medicine. She says that according to the frequency of microcephaly typically observed in regions around the world, one would expect to see 300–600 cases of severe microcephaly in any given year in Brazil, and around 1,500 less-severe ones.The search for cases of microcephaly in Brazil since October is probably turning up many mild cases that previously went unnoticed — so that the reported surge looks higher than it really is. Still, Schüler-Faccini and other clinicians say there is a real problem. They have observed first-hand a marked increase in the number of unusually severe cases of microcephaly, they say.To be prepared to better interpret any imminent peak in birth defects in Colombia, RECOLZIKA plans to look at historical cases to establish a baseline for the annual numbers of birth defects in different regions. It is also setting up a study to analyse patterns in the distribution of head-circumference measurements recorded in obstetrics units regionally throughout the country, to get a better idea of the local range of normal values.Luis Robayo/AFP/Getty ImagesA pregnant woman holds a mosquito net — delivered by Colombia's health ministry to ward off Zika virus infection — in Santiago de Cali, Colombia.Zika's link to microcephalyIt has also not been possible so far from Brazilian data to quantify the extent to which Zika virus is linked to the rise in microcephaly. The latest data from Brazil's ministry of health show that increased cases of microcephaly and/or congenital malformations of the central nervous system are still concentrated in the northeast — raising questions as to whether other factors, perhaps specific to this region, might also be in play.Clinical evidence leaves little doubt that a link between Zika and microcephaly exists: the virus has been detected in amniotic fluid, in the cerebrospinal fluid of affected babies and in the brains of stillborn fetuses and those aborted after the detection of severe malformations during pregnancy.But there are also many other possible causes of microcephaly, including a group of infections that are collectively called STORCH (syphilis, toxoplasmosis, other infections, rubella, cytomegalovirus infection and herpes simplex), which are known to cause birth defects. Exposure to toxic chemicals and the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy can also cause the condition.“There is a clear need for a full assessment of other detailed causes of microcephaly, such as STORCH, and even non-infectious causes,” says Rodriguez-Morales. Brazil’s health ministry has stated that it is carrying out tests for such causes, but it has not made public how many of the confirmed microcephaly cases are attributable to these.Healthy comparisonsA key question in assessing the scale of the threat that Zika may pose to fetuses is how many pregnant women infected with Zika — in particular during the first trimester, when the fetus is most vulnerable — nonetheless give birth to healthy babies. RECOLZIKA researchers hope to help to answer this through their monitoring programme.The risk posed by Zika may well be lower than that of other diseases that are known to cause microcephaly such as toxoplasmosis and rubella, says Rodriguez-Morales. That is a preliminary estimate, he says, based on back-of-the-envelope calculations of the reported numbers of confirmed cases of microcephaly and congenital disorders, compared to the number of pregnant women in regions experiencing Zika epidemics.But even if its risk does turn out to be low, Zika could still lead to many cases because a large number of pregnant women in the Americas are likely to become infected with the virus.The biggest risk to pregnant women is right now, rather than in the long term. The epidemic is sweeping so quickly through the Americas that much of the population, including young women, will become naturally vaccinated by their exposure to the virus. As population immunity increases, the Zika epidemic is likely to fade quickly, and it will become endemic with only occasional flare ups.In a modelling study posted to the preprint server bioRxiv1 on 29 February, US researchers noted that the risk of prenatal Zika virus exposure “should decrease dramatically following the initial wave of disease, reaching almost undetectable levels”.Nature doi:10.1038/nature.2016.19502 Facebook LinkedIn WeiboReferencesBewick, S., Fagan, W. F., Calabrese, J. M. & Agusto, F. Preprint at bioRxivhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1101/041897 (2016). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted March 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2016 Colombia Sees First Zika-Linked Birth DefectsTara John @tarajohn 9:24 AM ET Luis Robayo—AFP/Getty ImagesAn official of the of Health Ministry delivers brochures with information about the Zika virus to pregnant women, on Feb. 10, 2016, in Cali, Colombia.Three newborns tested positive for the presence of the Zika virusResearchers have found the first cases of birth defects linked to the Zika virus in Colombia, which may signal the start of a wave of birth defects in the country.According to Nature,researchers have diagnosed one newborn with microcephaly and two others with congenital brain abnormalities. All three tested positive for the presence of the Zika virus.Colombia has seen the second-highest amount of confirmed Zika cases after Brazil, which has seen a marked uptick in birth defects in areas where the mosquito-borne disease is prevalent. Until now, the smaller South American country had not observed a similar increase.Colombian researchers hope to monitor pregnant women and better establish the extent of the threat posed on fetuses by the virus, an important question that scientists have not been able to answer with Brazilian data.[Nature]http://time.com/4247623/zika-virus-newborns-colombia/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted March 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2016 First Zika-Linked Birth Defects Detected in ColombiaCases may signal start of anticipated wave of birth defects in country already hit hard by outbreakBy Declan Butler, Nature magazine on March 4, 2016 ©iStock.comResearchers have found Colombia's first cases of birth defects linked to the Zika virus, Nature has learned—which are likely forerunners of a widely anticipated wave of Zika-related birth defects in the country.The discovery is perhaps no surprise: the virus arrived in Colombia last September, and the country is second only to Brazil in terms of the number of people infected with Zika.But Colombian researchers hope that plans put in place to closely monitor pregnant women can help to better establish the magnitude of the threat posed to fetuses by Zika. That is a crucial question that scientists have not so far been able to answer with the data from Brazil.Researchers have diagnosed one newborn with microcephaly—an abnormally small head—and two others with congenital brain abnormalities, says Alfonso Rodriguez-Morales, who chairs the Colombian Collaborative Network on Zika (RECOLZIKA), which made the diagnoses. All three tested positive for the presence of Zika virus. The researchers have submitted a report of their detections to a scientific journal.Rodriguez-Morales, an infectious-diseases epidemiologist at the Technological University of Pereira in western Colombia, says that he expects to see a rise in cases of Zika-linked birth defects starting in two or three months' time. The RECOLZIKA group—a network of researchers and public-health institutions across Colombia—are already investigating a handful of other suspected cases of microcephaly, which have a possible link to Zika.THE NEXT WAVE?Brazil is the only country so far to report a large surge in newborns with microcephaly that coincides with outbreaks of Zika virus. By the time the alarm over a possible microcephaly link was raised there (in October 2015), Zika infections had already peaked in many parts of the country, because the virus first reached Brazil at the beginning of last year.In Colombia, by contrast, researchers detected the first Zika cases in September, and by December had set up national tracking programmes to monitor pregnant women for signs of infection, and to spot early signs of birth defects in fetuses. Since then, researchers have been waiting attentively to see whether their country might experience a similar rise in birth defects.The true size of Brazil's surge in microcephaly cases is unknown. The country's health ministry says that 5,909 suspected microcephaly cases have been registered since early November, but only 1,667 of them have been investigated so far. Of those, 1,046 have been discarded as false positives, and 625 have been confirmed. (A link with the Zika virus has been confirmed by molecular-lab tests in 82 cases.)Given that Brazil reported only 147 cases of microcephaly in 2014, the reported increase in cases since November suggests a marked rise in the number of babies born with the condition. But the 2014 figure is a “huge underestimate”, says Lavinia Schüler-Faccini, a geneticist who specialises in birth defects at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and president of the Brazilian Society of Genetic Medicine. She says that according to the frequency of microcephaly typically observed in regions around the world, one would expect to see 300–600 cases of severe microcephaly in any given year in Brazil, and around 1,500 less-severe ones.The search for cases of microcephaly in Brazil since October is probably turning up many mild cases that previously went unnoticed—so that the reported surge looks higher than it really is. Still, Schüler-Faccini and other clinicians say there is a real problem. They have observed first-hand a marked increase in the number of unusually severe cases of microcephaly, they say.To be prepared to better interpret any imminent peak in birth defects in Colombia, RECOLZIKA plans to look at historical cases to establish a baseline for the annual numbers of birth defects in different regions. It is also setting up a study to analyse patterns in the distribution of head-circumference measurements recorded in obstetrics units regionally throughout the country, to get a better idea of the local range of normal values.ZIKA'S LINK TO MICROCEPHALYIt has also not been possible so far from Brazilian data to quantify the extent to which Zika virus is linked to the rise in microcephaly. The latest data from Brazil's ministry of health show that increased cases of microcephaly and/or congenital malformations of the central nervous system are still concentrated in the northeast—raising questions as to whether other factors, perhaps specific to this region, might also be in play.Clinical evidence leaves little doubt that a link between Zika and microcephaly exists: the virus has been detected in amniotic fluid, in the cerebrospinal fluid of affected babies and in the brains of stillborn fetuses and those aborted after the detection of severe malformations during pregnancy.But there are also many other possible causes of microcephaly, including a group of infections that are collectively called STORCH (syphilis, toxoplasmosis, other infections, rubella, cytomegalovirus infection and herpes simplex), which are known to cause birth defects. Exposure to toxic chemicals and the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy can also cause the condition.“There is a clear need for a full assessment of other detailed causes of microcephaly, such as STORCH, and even non-infectious causes,” says Rodriguez-Morales. Brazil’s health ministry has stated that it is carrying out tests for such causes, but it has not made public how many of the confirmed microcephaly cases are attributable to these.HEALTHY COMPARISONSA key question in assessing the scale of the threat that Zika may pose to fetuses is how many pregnant women infected with Zika—in particular during the first trimester, when the fetus is most vulnerable—nonetheless give birth to healthy babies. RECOLZIKA researchers hope to help to answer this through their monitoring programme.The risk posed by Zika may well be lower than that of other diseases that are known to cause microcephaly such as toxoplasmosis and rubella, says Rodriguez-Morales. That is a preliminary estimate, he says, based on back-of-the-envelope calculations of the reported numbers of confirmed cases of microcephaly and congenital disorders, compared to the number of pregnant women in regions experiencing Zika epidemics.But even if its risk does turn out to be low, Zika could still lead to many cases because a large number of pregnant women in the Americas are likely to become infected with the virus.The biggest risk to pregnant women is right now, rather than in the long term. The epidemic is sweeping so quickly through the Americas that much of the population, including young women, will become naturally vaccinated by their exposure to the virus. As population immunity increases, the Zika epidemic is likely to fade quickly, and it will become endemic with only occasional flare ups.In a modelling study posted to the preprint server bioRxiv on February 29, US researchers noted that the risk of prenatal Zika virus exposure “should decrease dramatically following the initial wave of disease, reaching almost undetectable levels”.This article is reproduced with permission and was first published on March 4, 2016.http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/first-zika-linked-birth-defects-detected-in-colombia/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted March 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2016 Fri Mar 4, 2016 1:45pm ESTRelated: HEALTHCAREColombia doctor reports first case of Zika-linked microcephaly The first case of birth defect microcephaly linked to the mosquito-borne Zika virus has appeared in Colombia, a doctor said on Friday, although the national health institute said it had no information on the case and could not confirm it.Much remains unknown about Zika, including whether the virus actually causes microcephaly, a condition defined by unusually small heads that can result in developmental problems.Colombia, seen as a key test case of the impact of the virus, has 42,706 cases of Zika, including 7,653 pregnant women.A study of 28 women in Colombia's Sucre province infected with Zika during pregnancy has so far yielded one baby with microcephaly, said Alfonso Rodriguez-Morales, a doctor and researcher at the Technical University of Pereira. It was not immediately known when the child was born."The only infection that would explain what is happening is the Zika virus," he said.One case does not prove an overall link between the virus and microcephaly, Rodriguez-Morales told Reuters in a phone interview, but his team has ruled out other potential causes of the defect in this child, including rubella, herpes, syphilis and toxoplasmosis.The two other babies born to women in the study had cranial defects that are being investigated and could not so far be linked to Zika, Rodriguez-Morales said.The virus is present in all three babies and the women, whose infections have been confirmed by lab tests, remain under observation.The country's national health institute said it could not confirm the case because no samples from the patients had been sent to its laboratories. The institute currently is monitoring 28 children with potential microcephaly, not all related to Zika, but so far no case of the defect is linked to the virus, the institute told Reuters.Rodriguez-Morales said researchers have sent the samples to the institute. The potential case was first reported by science journal Nature."We'll really see the impacts of Zika on newborns and pregnancy during the next two or three months," Rodriguez-Morales said. "One will be able to see the real magnitude of the problem."Colombian health officials last week reported a "probable" case of microcephaly possibly linked to Zika in an aborted fetus.The health minister has said original estimates of microcephaly cases may be too high.Brazil said it has confirmed more than 640 cases of microcephaly, and considers most of them to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. It is investigating more than 4,200 additional suspected cases. (Reporting by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Bill Trott)http://www.reuters.com/article/health-zika-colombia-idUSL2N16C1DF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted March 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2016 Colombia researchers discover first cases of Zika virus linked to birth defectsCountry had until now not confirmed any cases of defects related to the virus, though Brazil has seen a marked rise in areas where the disease is widespread The new study provides experimental evidence that once the virus reaches the developing brain, it can infect and harm cells that are key for further brain development. Photograph: Ivan Alvarado/ReutersSibylla Brodzinsky in BogotáFriday 4 March 201614.29 ESTLast modified on Friday 4 March 201614.36 ESTShare on PinterestShare on LinkedInShare on Google+Shares3Comments0 Save for laterResearchers in Colombia have discovered the country’s first cases of birth defects linked to the mosquito-borne Zika virus.One researcher in the city of Sincelejo in northern Colombia diagnosed one newborn child with microcephaly. Two other children were born with congenital brain abnormalities, according to Nature. All three tested positive for the Zika virus.Dr Wilmer Villamil, of the Sincelejo University Hospital, who made the diagnosis of microcephaly, could not immediately be reached for comment.Nature reported that the Colombian Collaborative Network on Zika (Recolzika), a group of researchers studying the virus, expects a rise in cases of Zika-linked birth defects starting in two or three months and that researchers are investigating several other suspected cases of Zika-linked microcephaly.With more than 42,000 cases of Zika infection, including 7,653 in pregnant women, Colombia had until now not confirmed any cases of birth defects related to the virus, although Brazil has seen a marked rise in areas where the disease is widespread.However, the dimensions of the surge in microcephaly in Brazil are not yet clear. Some 5,909 microcephaly cases have been reported since November, a month after the Zika outbreak there was detected, and only 82 have been confirmed to be Zika related.Colombia, which sounded the alarm over possible microcephaly, and recommended women put off pregnancy before the first case was found could be better prepared to study the links between the birth defect and Zika by establishing a baseline for the annual numbers of birth defects.The Colombian government originally projected it could see some 500-600 cases of Zika-related microcephaly but later revised the projection downward as the link between the two came under more scrutiny.Zika usually causes only mild flu-like symptoms, with aches, fever and a rash in adults.But a lab study in America has found that Zika can infect embryonic cells that help form the brain, adding to evidence that the virus causes a serious birth defect.The new work provides experimental evidence that once the virus reaches the developing brain, it can infect and harm cells that are key for further brain development, said Hengli Tang of Florida State University, a lead author of the work, which was released Friday by the journal Cell Stem Cell.But he stressed that his study does not prove that Zika causes microcephaly, nor that it works by that route. A number of other viruses are known to trigger the condition.Colombia’s health ministry has linked Zika with the death of thee adults with a neurological condition known as Guillain-Barré which causes temporary paralysis.http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/04/colombia-researchers-discover-zika-virus-link-birth-defects Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted March 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2016 By MARY BROPHY MARCUS CBS NEWS March 4, 2016, 2:28 PMIs Colombia on the verge of a Zika-linked wave of birth defects?Sueli Maria holds her newborn daughter, who has microcephaly, at a hospital in Recife, Brazil, January 28, 2016. The first cases of newborns with Zika-related birth defects have been found in Colombia now. REUTERS Comment Share Tweet Stumble EmailBrazil was the first country to report a surge in newborns with microcephaly that parallels the recent outbreak of Zika virus. But Colombia may not be far behind.The Nature news site reported today that researchers in Colombia have identified their first cases of birth defects believed to linked to Zika. The findings could signal the beginning of a wave of Zika-related birth defects in that country, which lies in the upper northwest corner of South America, adjacent to Brazil.The virus was first reported in Brazil in the spring of 2015, although it's believed to have started spreading the year before. It wasn't reported in Colombia until last September. 26 PHOTOSZika virus takes heartbreaking tollOne newborn baby in Colombia has now been diagnosed with microcephaly -- an abnormally small head -- and two other babies have congenital brain abnormalities, Alfonso Rodriguez-Morales, told Nature. Rodriguez-Morales chairs the Colombian Collaborative Network on Zika (RECOLZIKA), which made the diagnoses.He said all three babies tested positive for the presence of Zika virus. The scientists have submitted a report about their findings to a scientific journal.Scientists have found the Zika virus in amniotic fluid, in the cerebrospinal fluid of affected babies and in the brains of stillborn and aborted fetuses after the detection of severe malformations during pregnancy.Rodriguez-Morales, an infectious-diseases epidemiologist at the Technological University of Pereira in western Colombia, told Nature they expect to see an uptick in cases of Zika-linked birth defects in the next two or three months. Play VIDEOBaby born with microcephaly in U.S. after mother's travelsThe RECOLZIKA network of researchers and public-health institutions across Colombia are investigating a handful of other suspected cases of Zika-related microcephaly.The concern is that Colombia will follow the pattern of Brazil, which first reported a microcephaly link to Zika in October 2015. Since then, health officials in Brazil have reported more than 4,000 suspected cases of microcephaly, which can result in mental disability and lifelong health problems.The World Health Organization says health officials in French Polynesia, which was also affected by a Zika outbreak, identified an increase in the number of fetuses and babies with unusually small heads there, too. There is "very high suspicion" of a link between the Zika virus and microcephaly in French Polynesia, Dr. Didier Musso, an infectious disease specialist at the archipelago's Institut Louis Malardé, told The New York Times. But he said additional research was still needed.Meanwhile, Columbian officials have in place health monitoring efforts for pregnant women as the mosquito-borne outbreak continues to unfold.http://www.cbsnews.com/news/is-colombia-on-the-verge-of-a-zika-linked-wave-of-birth-defects/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted March 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2016 5 MAR 2016 - 6:10AMZika-linked microcephaly in Columbia A doctor in Columbia has reported the first case of a Zika-linked birth defect, following the birth of a baby with microcephaly.Source: AAP5 MAR 2016 - 6:06 AM UPDATED 45 MINS AGOThe first case of infant microcephaly linked to the mosquito-borne Zika virus has appeared in Colombia, a doctor says, although the national health institute said it had no information on the case and could not confirm it.Much remains unknown about Zika, including whether the virus actually causes microcephaly, a condition defined by unusually small heads that can result in developmental problems.Colombia, seen as a key test case of the impact of the virus, has 42,706 cases of Zika, including 7653 pregnant women.A study of 28 women in Colombia's Sucre province infected with Zika during pregnancy has so far yielded one baby with microcephaly, said Alfonso Rodriguez-Morales, a doctor and researcher at the Technical University of Pereira. It was not immediately known when the child was born."The only infection that would explain what is happening is the Zika virus," he said on Friday.One case does not prove an overall link between the virus and microcephaly, Rodriguez-Morales told Reuters in a phone interview, but his team has ruled out other potential causes of the defect in this child, including rubella, herpes, syphilis and toxoplasmosis.The two other babies born to women in the study had cranial defects that are being investigated and could not so far be linked to Zika, Rodriguez-Morales said.The virus is present in all three babies and the women, whose infections have been confirmed by lab tests, remain under observation.The country's national health institute said it could not confirm the case because no samples from the patients had been sent to its laboratories. The institute currently is monitoring 28 children with potential microcephaly, not all related to Zika, but so far no case of the defect is linked to the virus, the institute told Reuters.Rodriguez-Morales said researchers have sent the samples to the institute."We'll really see the impacts of Zika on newborns and pregnancy during the next two or three months," Rodriguez-Morales said.Colombian health officials last week reported a "probable" case of microcephaly possibly linked to Zika in an aborted fetus.http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2016/03/05/zika-linked-microcephaly-columbia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted March 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2016 Zika-linked microcephaly in Colombiaan hour agoAAP Zika-linked microcephaly in ColombiaThe first case of infant microcephaly linked to the mosquito-borne Zika virus has appeared in Colombia, a doctor says, although the national health institute said it had no information on the case and could not confirm it.Much remains unknown about Zika, including whether the virus actually causes microcephaly, a condition defined by unusually small heads that can result in developmental problems.Colombia, seen as a key test case of the impact of the virus, has 42,706 cases of Zika, including 7653 pregnant women.A study of 28 women in Colombia's Sucre province infected with Zika during pregnancy has so far yielded one baby with microcephaly, said Alfonso Rodriguez-Morales, a doctor and researcher at the Technical University of Pereira. It was not immediately known when the child was born."The only infection that would explain what is happening is the Zika virus," he said on Friday.http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/zikalinked-microcephaly-in-columbia/news-story/930a5e0f252aa9b3cf1e9c55653045dc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zika-linked microcephaly in ColombiaThe first case of infant microcephaly linked to the mosquito-borne Zika virus has appeared in Colombia, a doctor says, although the national health institute said it had no information on the case and could not confirm it.Much remains unknown about Zika, including whether the virus actually causes microcephaly, a condition defined by unusually small heads that can result in developmental problems.Colombia, seen as a key test case of the impact of the virus, has 42,706 cases of Zika, including 7653 pregnant women.A study of 28 women in Colombia's Sucre province infected with Zika during pregnancy has so far yielded one baby with microcephaly, said Alfonso Rodriguez-Morales, a doctor and researcher at the Technical University of Pereira. It was not immediately known when the child was born."The only infection that would explain what is happening is the Zika virus," he said on Friday.http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/zikalinked-microcephaly-in-columbia/news-story/930a5e0f252aa9b3cf1e9c55653045dc
Zika-linked microcephaly in ColombiaThe first case of infant microcephaly linked to the mosquito-borne Zika virus has appeared in Colombia, a doctor says, although the national health institute said it had no information on the case and could not confirm it.Much remains unknown about Zika, including whether the virus actually causes microcephaly, a condition defined by unusually small heads that can result in developmental problems.Colombia, seen as a key test case of the impact of the virus, has 42,706 cases of Zika, including 7653 pregnant women.A study of 28 women in Colombia's Sucre province infected with Zika during pregnancy has so far yielded one baby with microcephaly, said Alfonso Rodriguez-Morales, a doctor and researcher at the Technical University of Pereira. It was not immediately known when the child was born."The only infection that would explain what is happening is the Zika virus," he said on Friday.http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/zikalinked-microcephaly-in-columbia/news-story/930a5e0f252aa9b3cf1e9c55653045dc
niman Posted March 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2016 First Likely Microcephalic Babies Born In ColombiaThis sure puts a dent in those conspiracy theories. 03/04/2016 05:30 pm ET Anna AlmendralaSenior Healthy Living EditorGLOW WELLNESS VIA GETTY IMAGESThree Colombian newborns could be the country’s first group of children with Zika virus-linked brain abnormalities -- a sign of what's to come as pregnant Colombian women infected with the virus begin to give birth.The babies were born with either microcephaly, which is a birth defect characterized by an abnormally small head, or congenital brain abnormalities, according to a news site run by the international science journal Nature. All three children also tested positive for Zika virus, a mosquito-borne disease that usually produces mild symptoms in adults but is believed to adversely affect fetuses andcause neurological issues in some adults. Zika virus has been spreading through the Americas since 2015.The Colombian Collaborative Network on Zika, the group of researchers that diagnosed the children, is also investigating several more possible cases of microcephaly with a suspected link to Zika, Nature reported. Colombians first started testing positive for Zika in October, months after the current outbreak took hold in Brazil. Now an estimated 37,000 Colombians have had the virus, including more than 6,000 pregnant women. This makes Colombia the second-most Zika-affected country after Brazil, which has seen an estimated 498,000 to 1.5 million cases. Experts predict that by June, Colombia will see a large increase in babies born with microcephaly. As part of the effort to determine if Zika virus causes microcephaly, Colombian officials are watching 2,000 of the country's pregnant women to see how their pregnancies and births proceed.The outcomes for the three babies detailed in Nature puts a major dent in a central argument made by conspiracy theorists and doctors who are skeptical about the causal link between Zika and microcephaly. These skeptics have pointed to Colombia -- a country that has tens of thousands of people infected with Zika virus but had no previously confirmed related cases of microcephaly -- as evidence that Zika may not be behind the uptick in severe brain defects in babies reported in Brazil, where authorities have confirmed microcephaly in 641 children and are still investigating 4,222 cases. One fact the conspiracy theorists had not accounted for is that microcephaly can't be detected in ultrasounds until very late in the pregnancy, which may be one reason why Colombia had not seen any cases until now.While scientists can't yet definitively say that Zika virus causes microcephaly, research to date on the link between the disease and the birth defects is highly suggestive. Lab studies have located Zika virus in the brain tissues and amniotic fluid of microcephalic fetuses and newborns, while population studies find microcephalic children in areas of Brazil that have recorded the highest Zika virus cases. New in vitro studies that observed how the original Zika virus strain interacts with different kinds of stem cells found that the virus is especially adept at infecting brain stem cells, reports the Atlantic. These stem cells then reproduced Zika virus at their own expense, which lead to more virus and less brain cells. The case studies of the three newborns come a few weeks after Colombia reported a “probable” case of microcephaly in an aborted fetus. Because its remains were improperly discarded, health officials could not confirm the initial microcephaly diagnosis, nor could they test tissues for presence of the Zika virus. However, traces of the virus were found in the amniotic fluid. The World Health Organization declared Brazil's cluster of microcephaly cases and their suspected link to Zika virus to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, and is coordinating efforts to research whether or not the disease causes birth defects. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/colombia-sees-first-microcephalic-births-linked-to-zika-virus_us_56d9d87fe4b03a4056787c29 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted March 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2016 HEALTH , 4 MAR 2016 - 5:43 PMEpidemicColombia denies even have evidence of congenital malformations zikaColombia carried out from December 2015 follow-up of 28 cases of microcephaly to determine whether there is connection with Zika virus.By: AFP 10SHAREDTwitterFacebookGooglereviewsINSERT Colombia denied Friday still have evidence of birth defects related to Zika virus in the mother, as reported by the British journal Nature a study in the country citing."Samples of these cases have not come to us for analysis, so we can not confirm this link , " he told AFP Martha Lucia Ospina, director of theNational Institute of Health (INS), the reference laboratory in the country endorsed internationally .Nature said Friday that a team of researchers from the Colombian Network of Partnership against Zika (Recolzika), led by Alfonso Rodriguez Morales, "diagnosed as a newborn with microcephaly and two others with congenital brain abnormalities." "All three tested positive for the presence of the Zika virus , " he added the text, specifying that the experts submitted their findings to a scientific journal.Ospina welcomed the study, but hoped that the INS obtain samples for analysis. "It is true that this team wants to make a contribution to science is respectable, but that desire can not take no research report to INS" he said.Ospina said Colombia carried out from December 2015 follow - up of 28 cases of microcephaly to determine whether there is connection with Zika virus in the mother."Some are of children born and unborn children other, but never have had so far confirmation of that relationship," said the director of the INS.In this regard, the INS said Friday on his Twitter account "that all cases of fetuses and children in study follow steps" and announced that the "process results will be communicated."Colombia, the second most affected country by the zika after Brazil, has registered 42,706 cases of this disease, 7,653 of which in pregnant women, according to the latest weekly balance INS.In Brazil, the authorities estimate that a million and a half people were infected by the zika since 2015. This week 641 cases of microcephaly and 139 infants died from this cause were reported.Microcephaly leaves irreversible sequels in the brain and its appearance is also associated with mothers who contracted syphilis, rubella or toxoplasmosis during pregnancy.The outbreak of zika, which has set off alarms about it for this potential association with birth defects could cause between three and four million patients in the Americas, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global emergency .The zika is mainly transmitted by the bite of Aedes aegypti mosquito, the same vector of dengue, and yellow fever chincunguña. We also detected the sexual transmission.His -fever symptoms, joint pain, skin rash, conjuntivitis- are mild and in 80% of cases the disease may go unnoticed.http://www.elespectador.com/noticias/salud/colombia-niega-tener-aun-pruebas-de-malformaciones-cong-articulo-620363 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted March 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2016 Reported first case of microcephaly linked to Zika virus in ColombiaDate Published: 4 / Mar / 2016 4:07:43 PM Photo: EFEA doctor reported on Friday the first case of microcephaly linked to Zika virus in Colombia, although the National Institute of Health said it had no information and declined to confirm.Colombia is the second country with the highest number of cases of Zika in Latin America and the Caribbean after Brazil. So far there have been 42,706 cases including 7,653 pregnant women, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH).Zika many details about the still unknown, including whether the virus -transmitido mosquito Aedes aegypti really cause microcephaly and is linked to Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare disorder that can weaken necrológico muscles and cause paralysis."The only infectious agent that would explain what is happening is Zika virus infection," he told Reuters Alfonso Rodriguez-Morales, a physician and researcher at the Technological University of Pereira.The case of microcephaly, a congenital defect that causes the head of the babies is abnormally small and that brain development is not complete, which can cause difficulties in intellectual and physical development, was recorded in the department of Sucre, in the northern Colombia, where 28 infected women follow with Zika was made.Rodriguez-Morales explained that the case does not prove a direct link between the virus and microcephaly, although his team ruled out other possible causes of defects of this child, including rubella, herpes, syphilis, and toxoplasmosis.Two other babies born until the time of the women involved in the study had cranial defects that are still being investigated and could so far not be linked to Zika said the doctor.The INS said it could not confirm the case because the patient samples were not sent to their laboratories. He also reported that it is currently monitoring 28 children with microcephaly potential, not all related to Zika.Rodriguez-Morales said the researchers sent the samples to the INS. The potential case was first reported by the scientific journal Nature."We will really see the impact of Zika in newborns and pregnancy during the next two or three months," he said.Health authorities in Colombia reported last week a "probable" case of microcephaly associated with an aborted fetus Zika week.Brazil has confirmed more than 640 cases of microcephaly, and finds that most are related to infections in mothers Zika.more than 4,200 additional suspected cases are investigated. Reuters- See more at: http://www.cablenoticias.tv/vernoticia.asp?titulo=Reportan-primer-caso-de-microcefalia-vinculado-a-virus-de-zika-en-Colombia&WPLACA=66243#sthash.M5ciVjwg.dpuf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted March 7, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2016 HEALTH , 6 MAR 2016 - 3:02 PM First cases of microcephaly in Colombia attributed to ZikaThe disconnect between research groups studying the virus and the National Institute of Health is confusing to know if babies are born with brain abnormalities.By: Writing Health 14SHAREDTwitterFacebookGooglereviewsINSERTManuelly (baby) is part of the list of children born with microcephaly in Brazil to have been exposed to the virus during gestation Zika. / EFEA short review published in the journal Nature confirmed the first cases of birth defects related virus Zika in the country. The discovery, however, is not surprising because the virus arrived in Colombia in September last year and is the second most affected country after Brazil , with 42,706 reported cases of this disease, 7,653 of which have occurred in pregnant women, according to the latest weekly balance of the National Institute of Health (NIH).Colombian researchers Collaboration Network Colombia in Zika (RECOLZIKA) who have not yet officially published their research, they hope that plans put in place to monitor pregnant women help establish the magnitude of the threat to fetuses Zika virus. That is a crucial point that scientists in Brazil have not yet been able to respond.In Brazil, the authorities estimate that a million and a half people were infected by Zika since 2015. This week 641 cases of microcephaly and 139 infants died from this cause were reported. This disease is characterized in babies born with very small heads and because it leaves irreversible consequences in the brain. Its appearance is also associated with mothers who contracted syphilis, rubella or toxoplasmosis during pregnancy. In Colombia the recent publication confirmed that the researchers detected a newborn with microcephaly and two other children with congenital abnormalities of the brain, as told Alfonso Rodriguez-Morales, who heads RECOLZIKA and made the respective diagnoses. The three cases were positive to Zika virus presence.The problem is still confusion reigns between the connection of microcephaly and Zika. On the one hand, there is evidence that the relationship could exist because if the virus has been detected in amniotic fluid and cerebrospinal fluid of infants.But it also raises many questions, since there are other possible causes of microcephaly, including a group of infections that are called STORCH (syphilis, toxoplasmosis, other infections, rubella, cytomegalovirus and herpes), which are known to cause birth defects, as well as exposure to toxic chemicals and alcohol consumption during pregnancy can cause disease.Compared with Brazil, the connection between Zika and birth defects remains unclear. According to the Ministry of Health of that country, 5,909 suspected cases of microcephaly have been reported since early November, but only 1,687 of them have been investigated so far. Of these, 1,046 have been discarded and 641 have been confirmed, but only 82 have had a link to the Zika virus in laboratory tests.Epidemiologist of the Technological University of Pereira, Rodriguez-Morales, told the journal he expects to see an increase in cases of birth defects linked to Zika virus within three months.Already since December Colombia makes tracking 28 cases of microcephaly to determine whether there is a link with Zika virus, he said Martha Lucia Ospina, director of the National Institute of Health told AFP.So from that date had been set up national monitoring programs to monitor pregnant women and to detect signs of infection and possible birth defects in fetuses.In order to be prepared for the increase in such cases in Colombia, RECOLZIKA plans to look historical cases and establish birth defects in the different regions. It also seeks to analyze patterns in the distribution of circumference measurements recorded in obstetric units across the country head.But confirmation of cases of microcephaly in the country has been undermined by the National Institute of Health (NIH). "Samples of these cases have not come to us for analysis, so we can not confirm that link.Some are children born and unborn children other, but never have had so far confirmation of that relationship, "said Martha Lucia Ospina, director INS.Ospina saw the study, but hoped that the entity obtaining samples for analysis. "It is true that this team wants to make a contribution to science;is respectable, but that desire can not take no research report to INS, "he concluded.In this situation Juan Manuel Anaya, a physician and professor at the Universidad del Rosario said that this controversy "is another example of the breakdown of a process that had to be led by one of the state entities (Colciencias, Ministry of Health or INS) in order to join efforts in two fundamental aspects: both important and urgent timely diagnosis and research, and in which, in both the state raja, despite their good will. "Anaya The conclusion to this story is that "there are several independent groups wanting to investigate the Zika and its complications. Why not summon them all, make a national network for diagnosis and research, and train several laboratories take exceptional measures to an exceptional situation. "http://www.elespectador.com/noticias/salud/primeros-casos-de-microcefalia-colombia-atribuidos-al-z-articulo-620584 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted March 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2016 Published Date: 3/13/2016 9:49:27Subject: PRO / ESP> Zika - Colombia: microcephaly, first reported cases, health authorities questioningArchive Number: 20160313.4089541ZIKA -COLOMBIA microcephaly, FIRST REPORTED CASES, QUESTIONING OF HEALTH AUTHORITIES************************************************** ***********************************************A statement from ProMED-mailhttp://www.promedmail.orgProMED-mail is a program of theInternational Society for Infectious Diseaseshttp://www.isid.orgDate: March 13, 2016Source: Republic, Uruguayhttp://www.republica.com.uy/angola-brote-fiebre-amarilla/561752/[Edited by Jaime Torres]A short review published in the journal Nature confirmed the first cases of birth defects related to Zika virus in the country. The discovery, however, is not surprising because the virus arrived in Colombia in September last year and is the second most affected after Brazil, with 42,706 cases of the disease reported, country 7,653 of which have occurred in pregnant women, according to the latest weekly balance of the National Institute of Health (NIH).Colombian researchers Collaboration Network Colombia in Zika (RECOLZIKA) who have not yet officially published their research, they hope that plans put in place to monitor pregnant women help establish the magnitude of the threat to fetuses Zika virus. That is a crucial point that scientists in Brazil have not yet been able to respond.In Brazil, the authorities estimate that a million and a half people were infected by Zika since 2015. This week 641 cases of microcephaly and 139 infants died from this cause were reported. This disease is characterized in babies born with very small heads and because it leaves irreversible consequences in the brain. Its appearance is also associated with mothers who contracted syphilis, rubella or toxoplasmosis during pregnancy.In Colombia the recent publication confirmed that the researchers detected a newborn with microcephaly and two other children with congenital abnormalities of the brain, as told Alfonso Rodriguez-Morales, who heads RECOLZIKA and made the respective diagnoses. The three cases were positive in the presence of Zika virus.The problem is still confusion reigns between the connection of microcephaly and Zika. On the one hand, there is evidence that the relationship could exist because if the virus has been detected in amniotic fluid and cerebrospinal fluid of infants.But it also raises many questions, since there are other possible causes of microcephaly, including a group of infections that are called STORCH (syphilis, toxoplasmosis, other infections, rubella, cytomegalovirus and herpes), which are known to cause birth defects, as well as exposure to toxic chemicals and alcohol consumption during pregnancy can cause disease.Compared with Brazil, the connection between Zika and birth defects remains unclear. According to the Ministry of Health of that country, 5,909 suspected cases of microcephaly have been reported since early November, but only 1,687 of them have been investigated so far. Of these, 1,046 have been discarded and 641 have been confirmed, but only 82 have had a link to the Zika virus in laboratory tests.Epidemiologist of the Technological University of Pereira, Rodriguez-Morales, told the journal he expects to see an increase in cases of birth defects linked to Zika virus within three months.Colombia already since December 28 performs tracking cases of microcephaly to determine whether there is a link with Zika virus, he said Martha Lucia Ospina, director of the National Institute of Health told AFP. So from that date had been set up national monitoring programs to monitor pregnant women and to detect signs of infection and possible birth defects in fetuses.In order to be prepared for the increase in such cases in Colombia, RECOLZIKA plans to look historical cases and establish birth defects in the different regions. It also seeks to analyze patterns in the distribution of circumference measurements recorded in obstetric units across the country head.But confirmation of cases of microcephaly in the country has been undermined by the National Institute of Health (NIH). "Samples of these cases have not come to us for analysis, so we can not confirm that link. Some are children born and unborn children other, but never have had so far confirmation of that relationship, "said Martha Lucia Ospina, director INS.Ospina saw the study, but hoped that the entity obtaining samples for analysis. "It is true that this team wants to make a contribution to science; is respectable, but that desire can not take no research report to INS, "he concluded.In this situation Juan Manuel Anaya, a physician and professor at the Universidad del Rosario said that this controversy "is another example of the breakdown of a process that had to be led by one of the state entities (Colciencias, Ministry of Health or INS) in order to join efforts in two fundamental aspects: both important and urgent timely diagnosis and research, and in which, in both the state raja, despite their good will. "Anaya The conclusion to this story is that "there are several independent groups wanting to investigate the Zika and its complications. Why not summon them all, make a national network for diagnosis and research, and train several laboratories take exceptional measures to an exceptional situation. "- ProMED-ESPhttp://promedmail.org/direct.php?id=20160313.4089541 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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