GENEVA—
The World Health Organization
reports scientists are weeks away from establishing whether a link exists
between the Zika virus and microcephaly, which causes brain abnormalities in
babies.
The Zika virus does not in itself pose much of a problem.
People who become infected develop a rash and a mild fever. They do not die. But, the World Health Organization recently declared the
Zika virus a global public health emergency because of its possible association
with an explosive spread of microcephaly in Latin America.
WHO Assistant Director-General Marie-Paule Kieny says
evidence is building on the causal link between the Zika virus and brain damage
in newborn babies. But, the final word is not yet in.
“There is a prospective cohort
in Colombia of women who are pregnant and have been infected, are known to be
infected and the outcome of their pregnancy is being looked at," she said.
"So, in a few weeks or months, we will see how many of these women deliver
a child with microcephaly and this will make the things much clearer. Kieny says other studies to establish the link are being done in some of the
France's overseas territories and in Cape Verde. She says scientists also are
trying to see whether recent cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a rare disorder
that attacks the nervous system, is caused by the Zika virus. “So, it is a question of a few weeks to have an established
link. As we have said there are other causes for Guillain-Barre also, but the
association in time and in place makes the association of Guillain-Barre… cases
that we see right now with Zika probable.”
Work on vaccines
Kieny says about 15 companies and groups have started work on vaccines and
diagnostic tools for the Zika virus. She says two vaccine candidates are well
advanced. But, despite encouraging signs, she says large-scale trials on the
safety and efficacy of vaccines are at least 18 months away.
She says non-commercial Zika diagnostics are available, but
research in this area needs to be urgently stepped up. She says it is likely
that the first commercial and independently validated tests for Zika will be on
the market in a matter of weeks, not months.
Therapeutics is another area of research. Kieny says studies
are being carried out on medicines and other therapies that could prevent
infection in vulnerable groups, especially pregnant women.
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Please insert your comments here