Buzz
Microcephaly, a birth defect causing babies to be born with abnormally small brains, has affected thousands more infants than usual in Brazil this year. The likely cause is the Zika virus, which has no vaccine or cure and is spread by mosquitoes.
In response, authorities in Brazil's northeastern region have advised women to delay pregnancy until they can manage the disease. The CDC has issued a travel advisory for pregnant women and those planning pregnancy, recommending they avoid 14 areas, including popular tourist destinations in Central and South America. If travel is necessary, consulting with a doctor and strictly adhering to mosquito bite prevention measures, including using DEET and permethrin, is advised.
However, there’s a crucial point: the exact link between Zika and microcephaly is not fully established. While it's the leading theory, something significant is occurring: Brazil reported 147 cases of microcephaly in 2014, but that number skyrocketed to thousands in 2015. (The Zika virus may have been introduced during the 2014 World Cup.) A woman who traveled to Brazil during pregnancy and later had a baby with microcephaly in Hawaii tested positive for Zika. The CDC stresses that while the connection is still under investigation, the alert is being issued out of 'an abundance of caution.'
Update: The list of countries under the CDC’s Zika-related travel advisory is growing. Here are all the current travel warnings from the CDC for Zika.
Image courtesy of US Department of Agriculture.
