Microcephaly News and Research

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Measuring head circumference (also known as occipito-frontal circumference) is a significant part of the proper evaluation of a child’s growth and development, as it represents a direct indication of head growth. Therefore deviations from normal head growth may reveal certain congenital or acquired problem.

Preventing the spread of Zika: an interview with Professor John Oxford

The link between the Zika virus and Guillain-Barré on the one hand, and pregnancy and the virus affecting the fetus in terms of microcephaly on the other, is still not confirmed conclusively.

1 Mar 2016

Understanding range of neurological disease linked with Zika virus is urgent priority, warn researchers

Understanding the scale and range of neurological disease associated with Zika virus infection is an urgent priority, warn researchers from the University of Liverpool's Institute of Infection and Global Health.

27 Feb 2016

Luminex collaborates with University of São Paulo to validate multi-analyte Zika virus assay

Luminex Corporation today announced it is collaborating with the Laboratory of Molecular Evolution & Bioinformatics, Biomedical Sciences Institute, University of São Paulo, Brazil to validate a multi-analyte Zika virus assay developed by Luminex partner, GenArraytion, Inc.

26 Feb 2016

Zika outbreak highlights need for developing and evaluating new vaccines for pregnant women

The recent outbreak of Zika virus disease and its link to fetal development highlights the need for pregnant women and those of reproductive age to be a priority group for developing and evaluating new vaccines and vaccine guidelines for Zika and other emerging infectious diseases, say the authors of a new Viewpoint article in JAMA.

25 Feb 2016

Tackling Zika virus: Challenges ahead

Health officials, drug companies, governments and the public are scrambling to understand and combat the Zika virus. The virus was first identified almost 70 years ago, but little is known about it. And now, officials suspect it could be related to a rise in microcephaly cases in affected countries.

25 Feb 2016

Researchers examine socio-ecology, climate responses of Zika virus transmission

Zika: The virus has emerged as a major public health threat that's rapidly spreading through South and Central America and the Caribbean.

22 Feb 2016

Zika virus can cross the placental barrier, according to new study

A study of pregnant women in Brazil has confirmed the presence of Zika virus in the amniotic fluid of two women who had displayed Zika-like symptoms during their pregnancies.

18 Feb 2016

Johns Hopkins experts provide useful information to help prevent transmission of Zika virus

With Zika virus emerging as a public health concern worldwide, experts at The Johns Hopkins Hospital are closely monitoring the spread of the mosquito-borne illness and offering useful information to help prevent transmission.

16 Feb 2016

RB announces Zika Relief Package of $1 million to help fight Zika virus outbreak

In response to the global call for urgently needed resources to fight the spread of the Zika virus, RB is announcing a Zika Relief Package of $1 million USD consisting of both cash and product donations that will be made available to health authorities and international NGOs battling the outbreak.

16 Feb 2016

UF study shows effective way to control damaging health impacts of mosquito-borne diseases

A common toxin used to kill yellow fever mosquito larvae - the most prevalent transmitter of dengue, chikungunya and zika viruses - is highly effective. While there are some fitness advantages to surviving adults, this is still an effective way to control the damaging health impacts of these mosquito-borne diseases, a new University of Florida study shows.

15 Feb 2016

Leading global health bodies share data related to Zika crisis

Leading global health bodies including academic journals, NGOs, research funders and institutes, have committed to sharing data and results relevant to the current Zika crisis and future public health emergencies as rapidly and openly as possible.

12 Feb 2016

Zika: an update

Since the Zika outbreak in Brazil early last year, the virus has spread to 20 countries across the Americas. As of February 3rd, 35 cases of Zika have been reported in the U.S., all of which have been associated with international travel.

11 Feb 2016

UW-Madison research team starts work on Zika virus infection

In October, when David O'Connor last visited Brazil as part of a decade-long research program studying drug-resistant strains of HIV, one of his Brazilian collaborators had a request.

11 Feb 2016

Zika virus can have substantial economic impact in Americas

"Zika virus isn't going anywhere," says Frank Esper, MD, infectious disease specialist at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital. "If it's anything near what happened with SARS or with Ebola, people are going to be very hesitant to travel to those areas.

11 Feb 2016

First case of Zika virus found in Ohio

"This is not unexpected," says Frank Esper, MD, infectious disease specialist at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital in Cleveland, after learning of the first case of Zika virus in Ohio, found in a Cleveland woman who traveled to Haiti. "We know people are going to come back and they're going to have the Zika virus."

11 Feb 2016

ESCMID gathers more solid data to better assess Zika virus risks, prepares for possible outbreak in Africa, Europe

Experts at the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases – an organization promoting research, risk assessment, knowledge sharing and best practices in the fight against infectious diseases – are developing tools to monitor the spread of the Zika virus and are conducting research to gather more solid data to better assess the risks associated with the infection.

10 Feb 2016

International collaboration critical in dealing with Zika virus outbreak

The rapid spread of the Zika virus in Latin America and its apparent association with microcephaly is concerning, said an expert in legal and ethical issues relating to public health responses to epidemics. However, fear-based reactions are not the answer.

3 Feb 2016

Zika virus threat across the Americas

Yesterday, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the Zika virus outbreak in Brazil was “spreading explosively” in the Americas and that as many as four million people could be infected by the end of the year.

29 Jan 2016

PAHO recommendations for preventing or slowing spread of Zika virus

Zika is a mosquito-borne virus that is new to the Americas. Since Brazil reported the first cases of local transmission of the virus in May 2015, it has spread to 21 countries and territories* of the Americas (as of 23 January 2016).

27 Jan 2016

Facts associated with Zika virus

As the Zika virus captures headlines across the United States, with its possible link to birth defects and the first cases reported in the U.S. (all traced back to overseas travel), it's an opportune time to review the facts associated with this disease.

22 Jan 2016