Race for Zika vaccine gathers momentum as virus spreads

[HuckleB]

Source: Reuters

Companies and scientists are racing to create a Zika vaccine as concern grows over the mosquito-borne virus that has been linked to severe birth defects and is spreading quickly through the Americas.

Zika is now present in 23 countries and territories in the Americas. Brazil, the hardest-hit country, has reported around 3,700 cases of the devastating birth defect called microcephaly that are strongly suspected to be related to Zika.

The Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO), stung by criticism that it reacted too slowly to West Africa's Ebola epidemic, is convening an emergency meeting on Monday to help determine its response to the spread of the virus.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has activated an emergency operations center staffed around the clock to address Zika, agency officials told Reuters.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-zika-who-idUSKCN0V61JB

---

It's going to be an interesting story to follow.

[glinda]

1. And then there is paralysis for some....

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/28/zika-virus-colombia-paralysis-disorder-guillain-barre

[homegirl]

2. Does this remind anyone

of the film Children of Men?

[proverbialwisdom]

3. Excellent interview w Dr. Anthony Fauci (16:03-27:00) on mosquito-borne Zika virus & unanswerered Q

Jan. 28, 2016 | Charlie Rose
Excerpt (1:01 min) - Dr. Fauci on the likelihood of Zika's spread

Dr. Anthony Fauci answers "the critical question" regarding the Zika virus.

http://www.charlierose.com/
http://www.hulu.com/watch/899423

FULL SHOW VIDEO - Air Date 1/27/2016

ESSENTIAL VIEWING: Dr. Anthony Fauci interview between minutes 16:03 - 27:00

A preview of Super Bowl 50 with Bill Cowher, studio analyst for the “The NFL Today.” Dr. Anthony Fauci on the mosquito-borne Zika virus. “Fighting ISIS,” a new special report from Vice on HBO. Charlie is joined by the correspondent, Ben Anderson.

[woundedkarma]

4. Terrifying

My wife and I just found out we're going to have our second child soon.

We live in Michigan. Far away from the virus... so the news says but West Nile is everywhere these days.. how long before Zika is everywhere? From the sound of it, not long.

People who have not had children.. and I'd guess 99% of single men... have absolutely no concept of the horror of this. I look at my kid and wonder what would life be like... and it really scares me.

I know we can't eliminate mosquitoes but it's time *everyone* turns their attention to them instead of just calling it a "third world" problem.

... my property swarms with mosquitoes every year.

[HuckleB]

5. Indeed.

Still, staying calm and working to find a solution is the way to go.

[hedgehog]

6. Has there been any discusion as to whether the virus has mutated?

My understanding is that it first showed up in Uganda, and spread from there. If it's been spreading for a while, why are the birth defects in Brazil the first we've heard of?

[HuckleB]

7. It has mutated.

"What has happened in South America is that it has changed a little bit... and through these changes it has become more aggressive towards humans," Lutwama said. "This small change has resulted in it posing deep problems in the human population."

From: http://news.yahoo.com/zikas-heart-ugandan-forest-where-virus-found-031437661.html

This is a fair piece on it: http://www.popsci.com/zika-virus-making-an-epidemic

[hedgehog]

8. Thank you for that info.

[proverbialwisdom]

9. More.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/health/what-is-zika-virus.html