According to the latest paper published online by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researchers on Thursday, March 2nd, pregnant women who contracted the Zika virus in the United States are 20 percent more likely to give birth to infants with certain birth defects, as opposed to the prevalence of birth issues before the epidemic swept through the country.
At the moment, the health experts investigating the surge are trying to determine how common Zika-linked birth defects such as eye defects, microcephaly, central nervous system issues, and brain abnormalities were in the years prior to the outbreak. Experts say that even though a Zika infestation leads to a distinct pattern of birth defects associated with the disease, some of the issues are not unique to Zika. Hence, viral infections and genetic factors may come into play, which causes the infants to be born with certain handicaps. However, the researchers say there are some cases in which the causes remain unknown.
In light of the new findings, the experts urge pregnant women to stay clear of Zika- affected areas, especially now that warmer weather is setting in. However, in the event they are forced to wither travel or live in risk areas, health experts strongly encourage them to take all precautionary measures to prevent sexual transmission of the virus or mosquito bites.
The new report also underscores the importance of early and accurate screenings for pregnant women. The researchers recommend women to undergo multiple screenings, as last year, Washington D.C.’s public health lab experts produced inconclusive or flawed results for multiple pregnant women tested for Zika between July and December. Unfortunately, nine, or more, subjects received a negative diagnosis for Zika, only to discover later that they may have actually been infected. The error was made public this year, on February 16th, and prompted health experts to redo more than 400 tests. Ultimately, 300 pregnant women had to undergo the procedure one more time and are currently awaiting the lab results.
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