Amid all the new developments and fears about the Zika virus, an infectious disease specialist predicts only this: Expect lots more headlines about Zika.
“Every couple of days, there is going to be something new out,” said Christina Leonard, MD, of Spectrum Health. “There is so much we don’t know, that we are going to get new bits every day. I think it’s going to unfold quickly.”
The latest headline—about a sexually transmitted case in Dallas—stoked interest and fears about the mosquito-borne virus, which has been linked to birth defects in Brazil. The case involved a person infected by someone who returned from a country where Zika is present.
Because of that, pregnant women and those trying to become pregnant have a new worry.
They already are advised not to travel to countries with the virus. And now they need to consider whether to use protection, such as a condom, if their partner has been exposed to Zika, Dr. Leonard said.
“We don’t know if this is the right recommendation,” she said. “But maybe it’s better to be safe than sorry. It’s worth the inconvenience of taking that precaution.”
While there is reason for pregnant woman to be cautious, there is no cause for widespread panic, says David Colombo, MD, a Spectrum Health fetal medicine specialist.
The two physicians discussed the latest news on Zika, some unanswered questions—and a few reasons people may feel reassured.
Why it’s scary
The reason Zika has generated such fear is the possible link to a surge in cases in Brazil of babies born with microcephaly, a birth defect that causes a small head and brain damage.
Health officials in Brazil reported more than 4,000 cases of microcephaly since October. That number is in flux—further analysis reveals some of those cases may have been misdiagnosed, according to The Washington Post.
The rapid spread of the virus prompted the World Health Organization to declare an international public health emergency on Feb. 1. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises pregnant women not to travel to countries where the virus has been reported—including South and Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean.
Outstanding questions
Q: How long after a person is infected could the virus be transmitted sexually?
That’s unknown, Dr. Leonard says, but will likely be researched.
The virus typically clears from the blood in seven days. But doctors don’t know how long it stays in semen.
And they don’t know if it stays longer in the blood of pregnant women, whose immune systems are somewhat weakened.
Then, if the virus does cross the placenta, how long does it stay in a fetus?
“Those are all great questions that we don’t have the answers to,” Dr. Leonard said.
Q: Is it certain that the virus causes microcephaly?
That has not been proven, Dr. Colombo said.
Research is needed to prove whether it is a cause—and not just an association.
“It’s a very common virus,” he said. “There may be thousands and thousands of people who had it during pregnancy and they are fine. Until we have universal screening, we don’t know what the denominator is.”
The reassuring part
“This is not a chronic infection like HIV or hepatitis B,” Dr. Leonard said.
Most people who get the virus show no symptoms. For those who become ill, the symptoms are usually mild. It can involve a rash, fever, joint pain and conjunctivitis.
“Once you get the virus and clear it, you have protective antibodies,” she said.
The Aedes mosquito that spreads Zika has not been found in Michigan, even in hot summer months.
“I think the CDC and WHO are doing the right thing (to investigate it),” Dr. Colombo said. “But that doesn’t mean somebody in West Michigan has to (overreact) about it.”
Thanks to worldwide attention, there will be increased emphasis on research.
“Hopefully, now that the World Health Organization has declared an international health emergency, we will start to get answers,” Dr. Leonard said. “There will be funding, research and manpower in these countries.”
/a>
/a>
/a>
