A new method of controlling mosquitoes, nuclear-based sterile insect technique, uses ionizing radiation to sterilize insects so when they mate with wild insects they don’t produce offspring. A big challenge is to find practical methods for the “sexing” of mosquitoes to remove females from being released into the wild.
Thousands of Brazilian parents are struggling as they learn to care for brain-damaged babies. The lack of child disability payments, child brain specialists and psychological support are some of the hardships families face.
A picture of the rash on the 1st person reported to have locally-acquired Zika in the US has been released to the public. The woman was 5 months pregnant at the time. Her infant showed no signs of birth defects and tested negative for the virus. Both Mom and baby are being followed by doctors.
Zika infections lead to modifications in the genetic material of both the virus itself and humans’ immune systems, influencing the virus’ spread and the body’s immune response, according to the researchers. Researchers found that when the Zika virus infected a human cell, the cell modified viral RNA to get rid of the infection. But that […]
Jackson Memorial Hospital and the University of Miami established a Zika response unit made up of doctors from pediatrics, infectious disease and other specialties to follow these babies – due in spring – as they grow up. Right now, doctors are helping patients cope with the fear that comes from the fact that little is […]
The latest figures from the Federal Health Department show travelers arriving from countries such as Fiji, Tonga and Mexico have brought the Zika virus to Australia. Only five travelers came from Brazil. No local transmissions have been recorded, but with wet season approaching in the north, public health authorities are preparing for a heavy mosquito […]
Miami City Commissioner Gonzalez has proposed using bats, which eat mosquitoes, as an environmental solution to combat the spread of Zika. However, bats have historically not been an effective method of curbing mosquito populations according to the American Mosquito Control Association.
The CDC has announced a new color-coding system that casts all of Miami-Dade County as a yellow cautionary area with the exception of Miami Beach and a one square mile area of Miami known as the Little River neighborhood, which are high-risk red zones. It recommends pregnant women consider postponing travel to yellow areas and […]
Mosquito control officials in Miami-Dade and Broward County, Florida are continuing to fight the Zika virus with an unusual method: turbines on trucks. The vehicle-mounted turbines can spread larvicide over a larger amount of ground in shorter time than handheld sprayers.
Zika virus has been detected in units of donated blood in Florida, but the number so far is small and new testing in high-risk areas kept the virus from entering the U.S. blood supply. Back in August, FDA officials called for all U.S. blood centers to begin screening for Zika virus.
