PUBLIC HEALTH IMAGE LIBRARY, CDCAbout three dozen countries worldwide are now reporting local transmission of the Zika virus, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control announced today (February 19).
Strengthening the link between infection and microcephaly in babies, scientists reported Wednesday (February 17) in The Lancet Infectious Diseases having found the virus in the amniotic fluid of two women who experienced Zika virus infection–related symptoms while pregnant. Both of their babies were diagnosed with microcephaly.
Coauthor Ana de Filippis of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute in Rio de Janeiro told BBC News that the results suggest “the virus could cross the placental barrier and potentially infect the fetus.” However, it does not prove Zika is to blame for the babies’ birth defects. “Until we understand the biological mechanism linking Zika to microcephaly we cannot be certain that one causes the other, and further research is urgently needed,” de Filippis said.
In addition to microcephaly, researchers ...
