All 6 pregnant women contracted the Zika virus while traveling to countries south of the border, including Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador.
The Zika Foundation Blog
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5% of U.S. Pregnant Women With Zika Had Baby With a Birth Defect
According to a CDC report, 8% of offspring of pregnant women who tested positive for Zika in the 1st trimester, 5% in the 2nd trimester and 4% in the 3rd trimester had birth defects linked to the virus.
Mosquitoes that spread Zika virus could simultaneously transmit other viruses
Researchers found that Aedes aegypti might transmit Zika, chikungunya and dengue viruses with one bite – called coinfection.
U.N.-Backed Global Mosquito Alert Network Launched To Help Track Emerging Disease Trends
The alert network will allow people to share their observations and help scientists to monitor emerging trends.
Ahead of mosquito season, 18 pregnant women in Texas area have Zika
Zika is carried by mosquitoes both in Brownsville and across the border in Mexico. With so many people going back and forth every day, it’s hard to know exactly where they picked Zika up.
Discovery of a Zika antibody offers hope for a vaccine
Researchers have identified antibody Z004, which was effective at neutralizing both Zika and dengue 1 and shows promise as a new potential strategy for developing a vaccine.
Zika Virus Persists in the Nervous System and Elsewhere
Recent studies of infected rhesus monkeys show retention of the Zika virus in the gut lining and lymph nodes.
Darren Soto’s Proposal Targeting Zika, Mosquitoes Gains Momentum on Capitol Hill
The proposal would add $100 million annually in CDC grants to help local communities eliminate mosquitos.
Zika outbreak may have led to fewer births in Rio de Janeiro
The Zika outbreak may have prompted a drop in the number of live births in Rio de Janeiro. Researchers believe that very early miscarriages and pregnancy avoidance may be to blame.
Renewed Zika outbreak feared on Texas border
Professionals warn that a Zika outbreak in the Rio Grande Valley at the southernmost tip on the Texas border with Mexico is just a matter of time. With 1.3M people live in poverty – many without AC and window screens – this area is conducive to an outbreak.
Florida releases experimental mosquitoes to fight Zika
20,000 male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes infected with a naturally occurring bacteria called Wolbachia were recently released in the Florida Keys. When the infected males mate with female mosquitoes, the eggs she produces won’t hatch. Florida’s mosquito-control experts are hoping for a decline in Aedes aegypti population and the number of locally-transmitted Zika cases.
Zika virus can trigger epilepsy
CDC warns Zika virus may also trigger cases of epilepsy in infants.
Austrian biotech Themis launches Zika vaccine clinical trial
A clinical trial of an experimental Zika vaccine containing live virus, based on measles immunization technology, has begun in 48 healthy volunteers by Austrian biotech company Themis Bioscience in Vienna, Austria.
Zika Testing Advised for Pregnant Women in 6 Texas Counties
Texas is recommending Zika virus testing for women in their 1st and 2nd trimesters in Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, Webb, Willacy and Zapata counties.
First Southern California child born with defect caused by Zika virus
A baby born recently in San Diego County is the first in the region to suffer birth defects after the infant’s mother contracted the Zika virus while traveling abroad. A total of 87 people in San Diego County have tested positive for Zika, and all of the infections occurred while the patients were in other […]
Scientists Start Second Phase Of Zika Vaccine Testing
Researchers at Houston’s Baylor College of Medicine began Phase 2 clinical trials for a Zika vaccine that is expected to have results as early as the end of this year. The first part of phase 2 will have 90 healthy volunteers vaccinated to determine the optimal dose and injection site of the vaccine.
Miami’s building boom brings Zika worries: Construction sites breed mosquitoes
County inspectors say construction sites can double as breeding grounds for mosquitoes carrying Zika. Mayor Carlos Gimenez plans to beef up the county’s mosquito ordinance, including a provision governing construction sites.
The Scientists Trying to Keep Zika Out of Your Placenta
A drug – being studied as a preventative measure against fetal infection – would contain glycosaminoglycans, which the virus would find so irresistible that it would turn up its nose at the sugars in human cell membranes.
Students’ kit can detect Zika and dengue faster
A team from Singapore Polytechnic devised a kit to detect and distinguish between Zika and dengue infections. The test only takes 10 minutes, is non-invasive and contains a test-line mechanism similar to a pregnancy test kit.
Zika mosquito genome mapped – at last
Scientists have ‘assembled’ the genome of A. aegypti as well as that of Culex quinquefasciatus, a mosquito that transmits West Nile virus, by stitching together genome sequences using a new method called ‘Hi-C’.
Florida reports new case of locally acquired Zika infection
Florida health officials recently reported a new locally acquired Zika infection in Miami-Dade County and 4 new travel-related cases in South Florida, raising the total number of Zika cases for 2017 to 29 people.
Zika remains a threat, with 6 cases logged in Maryland this year
With 6 travel-related Zika cases already reported, Maryland officials are starting to gear up efforts for a new outbreak of the Zika virus. With researchers tying the mosquito-borne virus to potentially deadly heart problems, adult Zika patients must now see a cardiologist.
Researchers crack structure of key protein in Zika virus
Researchers’ structural analysis of ZIKA NS5, a unique protein to the virus, reveals a potential binding site in the protein for an inhibitor, making it an ideal target for for anti-viral drug development.
CDC warns sperm donated in South Florida at higher risk of Zika
The CDC guides men from South Florida, including Broward and Palm Beach counties, to refrain from donating sperm because they are at greater risk of spreading Zika.
Zika Cases Continue To Appear In Utah
So far, 29 travel-related cases of Zika have been registered in Utah, 11 of these cases have been pregnant women.
Zika virus also may have harmful heart effects, research shows in first report in adults
Palpitation followed by shortness of breath and fatigue were symptoms of heart problems in 8 of 9 patients in Venezuela within 2 weeks of having Zika-type symptoms.
Placenta more vulnerable to Zika in early pregnancy
Researchers found that during the first trimester of gestation the placenta produces genes encoding proteins which the Zika virus finds a favorable biological environment for infection.
DNA may offer rapid road to Zika vaccine
Researchers will soon begin the 2nd phase of human clinical trials for a DNA vaccine candidate for Zika. 3½ months from design to injection is warp speed, but it’s easy to move very quickly with DNA vaccines.
Genomics Reveal Surprises About Florida Zika Outbreak
Caribbean travelers – the vast majority by cruise ship – were the primary means of introducing the 2016 Zika outbreak in South Florida. Researchers also confirmed that decreases in the Aedes aegypti population from pesticide spraying corresponded with a subsequent drop in new reported Zika cases.
Some birth defects 20 times more likely for moms with Zika, CDC says
Zika-related birth defects were seen in about 3 out of every 1,000 births during 2013-2014 compared to 60 out of every 1,000 completed pregnancies where the mother tested positive for a Zika infection.
First Zika cases of the year reported, 1 in Collier
Collier County reported its 1st new Zika case of 2017 and Miami-Dade reported 3 new local transmissions.
Zika complications in Canadian travellers surprise researcher
5% of travelers who visited travel medicine clinics in British Columbia through Quebec from Oct. 2015 to Sept. 2016 sick with the Zika had a neurological condition including Guillain Barre.
Zika may cause miscarriages, thin brain tissue in babies carried to term
Researchers found that the Zika virus appears to create disorganization in the cellular layers of the placenta that keep toxins, bacteria and viruses from crossing, potentially allowing the virus to penetrate the fetus.
Vaccine hope for Zika
The first vaccine to be approved for clinical trials by the U.S. is now undergoing human trials in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. The vaccine has the potential to also protect the male reproductive organ, preserving fertility and restricting testicular damage.
Zika outbreak: Only Asian lineage of virus linked with microcephaly, concludes US researchers
Research shows that the Asian lineage Zika virus halted the proliferation of brain stem cells and hindered their ability to develop into brain nerve cells. The Zika infection was mainly found in glial cells, which provide support and insulation for the brain.
Study: Zika’s Persistence in Body Fluids Surprisingly Long
The medians and 95th percentiles for the time until the loss of detectable Zika virus RNA detection were 14 days and 54 days, respectively, whereas 90% of patients infected with dengue viruses clear RNA within 10 days after the onset of symptoms.
FDA approves Abbott’s molecular Zika virus test
The FDA authorized Abbott’s molecular test to detect Zika virus in whole blood, which may detect the virus for a longer period (up to 2 months) and provide results within 5 to 7 hours. Plus, the test can distinguish Zika from other viruses.
Zika Virus Vaccines Market by Forecast Scenario Analysis 2017-2022 – Research and Markets
The Zika virus vaccines market is estimated to generate $14,500M in 2017 and to reach $18,697M by 2022, growing at a CAGR of 5.2%. About 1.6 million individuals are infected with Zika virus, and the number is exponentially increasing.
Zika crosses the placenta by latching on to fetal blood vessels
Zika is able to cross the placental barrier and infect cells that line blood vessel walls by latching onto the protein on the cells’ surface. Researchers showed that the antibodies that bind to the AXL protein prevented Zika from entering cells.
Zika virus ‘spillback’ into primates raises risk of future human outbreaks
Spillback of Zika virus into monkeys in South America has already started, potentially making it nearly impossible to get rid of the Zika virus.
The panic is over at Zika’s epicenter. But for many, the struggle has just begun.
Babies diagnosed with CZS continue to struggle in NE Brazil. As a result, many families held off pregnancy. The birthrate in Pernambuco, which includes Recife, fell 7% last year as 70% of Recife’s inhabitants contracted Zika in 2015 and 2016. The birthrate dropped 45% at private clinics.
PAHO says Zika virus outbreak continues a year after global emergency
Since 2015, 48 countries and territories in the Americas have confirmed Zika transmission through mosquitoes. Community education and participation of eliminating mosquito vectors and breeding sites are crucial tools in the long-term fight against Zika.
Microcephaly case linked to zika virus
A premature baby with Microcephaly died during childbirth last November in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. The diagnosis showed traces of the Zika virus in the amniotic fluid.
DOH reiterates importance of cleanliness as PH now has 57 Zika cases
A total of 57 Zika cases were reported in the the Philippines as of February 2nd. Cleanliness and the destruction of potential breeding sites is key against the spread of mosquito-borne diseases.
Zika virus blindfolds immune alarm cells
When Zika virus infects dendritic cells, it blocks a critical set of innate immune signaling proteins that rally anitviral troops. However, RLR signaling is left intact and could be a target for immunity-boosting therapies.
New Zika vaccine candidate protects mice and monkeys with a single dose
A new Zika candidate vaccine uses tiny modified strands of RNA that hold the genetic codes for making viral proteins so that they can easily enter cells, inducing a level of virus neutralization ~25 times greater after a single dose than standard vaccines.
Florida awards grants for Zika research and vaccine development
$25M in grants have been awarded to 10 universities and research institutions in Florida to speed up development of a Zika vaccine, devise new testing methods and study the long-term impacts of the mosquito-borne virus.
One year on since Zika emergency, Vietnam faces new infections
Vietnam faces risk of endemic transmission as Zika infections rise over the past month. This news comes as the number of global infections continues to rise. WHO warns that vigilance worldwide must remain high.
A Clue to the Mystery of Colombia’s Missing Zika Cases
Brain images of 200+ developing fetuses indicates that Zika can cause significant brain damage even in babies without Microcephaly. Simple head measurements are not enough to diagnosis congenital Zika syndrome.
Epidemiological Update Zika virus infection 26 January 2017
The PAHO and WHO recently released a Zika-Epidemiological Update that summarizes the situation for the Americas, including North America, Central America, the Caribbean and South America.
