Zika Virus

[mongers]

I feel rather guilty about starting this thread, I hope it doesn't become a serious pandemic, but it's rapid spread, the lack of vaccines and the serious consequences for mother and child suggest it'll be a major news story this year.

Zika virus: Outbreak 'likely to spread across Americas' says WHO
By James Gallagher

25 January 2016

The Zika virus is likely to spread across nearly all of the Americas, the World Health Organization has warned.

The infection, which causes symptoms including mild fever, conjunctivitis and headache, has already been found in 21 countries in the Caribbean, North and South America.

It has been linked to thousands of babies being born with underdeveloped brains and some countries have advised women not to get pregnant.

No treatment or vaccine is available.

The virus was first detected in 1947 in monkeys in Africa. There have since been small, short-lived outbreaks in people on the continent, parts of Asia and in the Pacific Islands.

But it has spread on a massive scale in the Americas, where transmission was first detected in Brazil in May 2015.

Large numbers of the mosquitoes which carry the virus and a lack of any natural immunity is thought to be helping the infection to spread rapidly.
.....

More details here, if you haven't seen much on your tv/newsfeed:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-35399403

[katmai]

NBC nightly news was airing story and updates each night last week, so It has been getting quite a bit of play.

[CountDeMoney]

I feel rather guilty about starting this thread, I hope it doesn't become a serious pandemic, but it's rapid spread, the lack of vaccines and the serious consequences for mother and child suggest it'll be a major news story this year.

Certain Federal agencies have already started flipping their labs to work on it.

[mongers]

I feel rather guilty about starting this thread, I hope it doesn't become a serious pandemic, but it's rapid spread, the lack of vaccines and the serious consequences for mother and child suggest it'll be a major news story this year.

Certain Federal agencies have already started flipping their labs to work on it.

Good to know. 

[CountDeMoney]

[PRC]

I cancelled a trip to the Caribbean with my family because of this, as my wife is currently expecting our third child.  Was going to do Cuba.

[Monoriu]

Never heard of this until now. 

[mongers]

I cancelled a trip to the Caribbean with my family because of this, as my wife is currently expecting our third child.  Was going to do Cuba.

Sensible decision, you really don't want to be sorry rather than safe.

[Fate]

I don't think the evidence is there yet. Zika has been around for a long time and was never suggested to result in microcephaly in the past. No other viruses related to Zika cause teratogenic effects. My guess is most of the Brazil "epidemic" is from hysteria, uncovering under-diagnosis from other causes (genetic, environmental, other infectious causes), and utilization of advanced imaging technologies that weren't previously available.

[crazy canuck]

I don't think the evidence is there yet. Zika has been around for a long time and was never suggested to result in microcephaly in the past. No other viruses related to Zika cause teratogenic effects. My guess is most of the Brazil "epidemic" is from hysteria, uncovering under-diagnosis from other causes (genetic, environmental, other infectious causes), and utilization of advanced imaging technologies that weren't previously available.

I was listening to the Dr. who authored several studies about this being interviewed on the CBC.  His view is that Zika has likely mutated. And btw this isnt just happening in Brazil. 

But he was also of the view that the virus would probably die off - similar to what happened with the West Nile Virus, as populations in areas in which it has spread develop immunity to the virus.  Unless it continues to mutate of course but the odds of that happening are low.

[lustindarkness]

There are so many viruses that could turn into a epidemic.

[Berkut]

I heard this was spread via the large levels of cyanide in most vaccinations, and the mosquito thing is just a cover for Big Pharma.

[Tamas]

I heard this was spread via the large levels of cyanide in most vaccinations, and the mosquito thing is just a cover for Big Pharma.

Can it reach and massage the prostate though?

[Valmy]

I heard this was spread via the large levels of cyanide in most vaccinations

And Mercury!

[Josquius]

And thanks to anti vaxers I regard such theories with the utmost hilarity.