Study Confirms That Zika Virus Causes Brain Damage In Newborns : huffingtonpost

as informed in huffingtonpost

Study Confirms That Zika Virus Causes Brain Damage In Newborns

Study Confirms That Zika Virus Causes Brain Damage In Newborns

By Kate KellandLONDON, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Early results from a crucial case-control study in Brazil have confirmed a direct causal link between Zika virus infection in pregnant women and the brain damaging birth defect microcephaly in their babies, scientists said on Thursday.But while preliminary findings from the first 32 cases involved in the study confirm causality, the researchers said, the true size of the effect will become clear only after full analysis of all 200 cases and 400 controls.The study, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal, was requested by the Brazilian health ministry to investigate the causes of the microcephaly epidemic that the World Health Organization (WHO) declared an international public health emergency earlier this year.


besides nbcnews

This Study Removes Any Doubt Zika Virus Causes Birth Defect

This Study Removes Any Doubt Zika Virus Causes Birth Defect

Brazilian researchers say they've removed any last vestige of doubt that Zika virus infection can cause an abnormally small head in newborns — a birth defect called microcephaly.More than 40 percent of babies born with microcephaly had Zika virus in their bodies, compared to none of the healthy babies born at the same time and in the same place, the team reported.Brazilian researchers say they've compared babies born to mothers infected with Zika to babies born to healthy mothers and found Zika really does cause a birth defect called microcephaly, marked by an unusually small head and underdeveloped brain.


let alone medicaldaily

Zika Virus May Lead To 'Global Epidemic' Of Microcephaly And Other Birth Defects Throughout The World

Zika Virus May Lead To 'Global Epidemic' Of Microcephaly And Other Birth Defects Throughout The World

Despite ongoing research into the mosquito-borne Zika virus, the question of whether it actually causes children infected in the womb to develop a variety of birth defects, including microcephaly (an abnormally small head), still hasn't been proven.A new study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, however, claims to have found some of the strongest evidence yet.The researchers analyzed the medical records of 32 Brazilian infants born between January and May of 2016 who developed microcephaly and compared them to a similarly matched group of 62 healthy infants.

Zika Virus May Lead To 'Global Epidemic' Of Microcephaly And Other Birth Defects Throughout The World