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.

Viruses closely related to Zika may cause fetal brain damage and death, study finds

Two viruses closely related to Zika – West Nile and Powassan – can spread from an infected pregnant mouse to her fetuses, causing brain damage and fetal death, according to a new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

31 Jan 2018

Repurposed drug effectively protects against Zika virus in mouse models

In both cell cultures and mouse models, a drug used to treat Hepatitis C effectively protected and rescued neural cells infected by the Zika virus -- and blocked transmission of the virus to mouse fetuses.

25 Jan 2018

Research reveals how Zika virus infection spurs fetal demise

A powerful antiviral protein may act as a checkpoint for keeping or ending a pregnancy.

5 Jan 2018

Zika pandemic remains formidable challenge to medicine and public health, say experts

Since 2016, when Zika was declared by the World Health Organization as a public health emergency of international concern, the virus has become established in more than 80 countries, infected millions of people, and left many babies with birth defects (collectively called congenital Zika syndrome).

22 Dec 2017

Texas Biomed scientists develop new animal model that mimics key features of Zika infection

An alternative animal model that mimics key features of the Zika virus infection, including its lingering presence in bodily fluids, has been developed at Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio.

12 Dec 2017

Scientists discover specific mechanism of Zika virus-associated microcephaly

Epidemiological studies show that in utero fetal infection with the Zika virus (ZIKV) may lead to microcephaly, an irreversible congenital malformation of the brain characterized by an incomplete development of the cerebral cortex.

11 Dec 2017

Drug used to prevent and treat malaria may also be effective for Zika virus

A new collaborative study led by researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute and UC San Diego School of Medicine has found that a medication used to prevent and treat malaria may also be effective for Zika virus.

17 Nov 2017

Scientists suggest possibility of naturally acquired immunity against Zika infection

Birth defects in babies born infected with Zika virus remain a major health concern. Now, scientists suggest the possibility that some women in high-risk Zika regions may already be protected and not know it.

16 Nov 2017

Scientists unveil pathology underlying optic nerve hypoplasia in children

Scientists at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute (VTCRI) have revealed the pathology of cells and structures stricken by optic nerve hypoplasia, a leading cause of childhood blindness in developed nations.

16 Nov 2017

Brazilian Zika epidemic could soon be over, say scientists

In 2016, news about the Zika virus in Brazil made the headlines in Europe for the first time. With approximately 65 million people affected, it is one of the largest epidemics in the last few years.

16 Nov 2017

Dengue immunity can provide protection from subsequent Zika infection

Manifestations of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection differ drastically. Sometimes they are catastrophic, most notably when they cause microcephaly in some babies born to infected mothers.

13 Nov 2017

Advances in genetic and stem cell techniques help identify therapeutic targets for neurological disorders

Research released today highlights advances in the use of CRISPR-Cas9 and human induced pluripotent stem cell technologies to identify novel therapeutic targets for neurological disorders such as schizophrenia and addiction.

13 Nov 2017

Discovery may provide insight into how Zika virus gets transmitted from mother to fetus

Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, with colleagues in Brazil, report that the Zika virus is transmitted from mother to fetus by infected cells that, ironically, will later develop into the brain's first and primary form of defense against invasive pathogens.

27 Oct 2017

New serotypes of Zika virus could appear in near future, researcher cautions

Zika virus is mutating so fast in Brazilian patients that different serotypes of the pathogen could appear in the near future, as is already the case with dengue virus. This would hinder the production of a vaccine and impair the effectiveness of the diagnostic tests already developed.

10 Oct 2017

GW researchers receive NIH award to bring Zika vaccine trial to Brazil

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease of the National Institutes of Health awarded more than $2 million to a research team at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences to facilitate a Zika vaccine trial in Brazil.

9 Oct 2017

MRI and ultrasound can detect fetal brain damage caused by Zika in utero

Clinicians managing Zika-affected pregnancies should use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in addition to standard ultrasound (US) because the more detailed MRI images can reveal more extensive areas of damage to the developing fetal brain, according to research presented during IDWeek 2017.

4 Oct 2017

Potential Zika vaccine blocks mother-to-fetus transmission and stops male testis infection

For the first time, a collaborative team led by The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston has shown that a potential Zika vaccine quickly can protect fetuses against infection as well as protect males against testicular infection and injury.

26 Sep 2017

PET imaging helps scientists to study progression of Zika virus infection in mice

For the first time, scientists have used Positron Emission Tomography imaging to study brain inflammation following Zika virus infection in mice, according to a study recently published online in the journal Molecular Imaging and Biology.

19 Sep 2017

Research finds serious visual impairment among children with congenital Zika syndrome

Although one of the most serious consequences of the Zika virus (ZIKV) in infants is microcephaly, there is a broad collection of anomalies now known as congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). Some of the most serious are ophthalmologic, including macular scarring, retinal defects, low visual acuity, strabismus, and nystagmus.

13 Sep 2017

Zika virus found to specifically kill glioblastoma brain cancer cells

According to a latest study supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a part of the National Institutes of Health, the deadly Zika virus could be used to kill a specific type of brain cancer cells and sparing the neighbouring healthy brain cells. Although experimental in stage, this finding has wide implications for those suffering from these cancers.

5 Sep 2017

Microcephaly News and Research

Further Reading

Viruses closely related to Zika may cause fetal brain damage and death, study finds

Repurposed drug effectively protects against Zika virus in mouse models

Research reveals how Zika virus infection spurs fetal demise

Zika pandemic remains formidable challenge to medicine and public health, say experts

Texas Biomed scientists develop new animal model that mimics key features of Zika infection

Scientists discover specific mechanism of Zika virus-associated microcephaly

Drug used to prevent and treat malaria may also be effective for Zika virus

Scientists suggest possibility of naturally acquired immunity against Zika infection

Scientists unveil pathology underlying optic nerve hypoplasia in children

Brazilian Zika epidemic could soon be over, say scientists

Dengue immunity can provide protection from subsequent Zika infection

Advances in genetic and stem cell techniques help identify therapeutic targets for neurological disorders

Discovery may provide insight into how Zika virus gets transmitted from mother to fetus

New serotypes of Zika virus could appear in near future, researcher cautions

GW researchers receive NIH award to bring Zika vaccine trial to Brazil

MRI and ultrasound can detect fetal brain damage caused by Zika in utero

Potential Zika vaccine blocks mother-to-fetus transmission and stops male testis infection

PET imaging helps scientists to study progression of Zika virus infection in mice

Research finds serious visual impairment among children with congenital Zika syndrome

Zika virus found to specifically kill glioblastoma brain cancer cells

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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