Category Archives: pandemic

Pope signals contraceptives may be OK in light of Zika | CIDRAP

In response to a question about whether abortion or birth control would be considered a “lesser evil” in the face of the Brazil’s Zika virus epidemic, Pope Francis said there’s a clear moral difference between aborting a fetus and preventing a pregnancy, the Associated Press (AP) reported. He drew a parallel to the church’s approval of artificial contraception to Belgian nuns in the Congo in the 1960s, because they were being repeatedly raped, according to the AP. However, he rejected any temporary loosening on the church’s stance against abortion. “It’s a crime. It’s an absolute evil,” he told reporters.

Source: Pope signals contraceptives may be OK in light of Zika | CIDRAP

IRIN | After 60 years of Zika in Asia, why worry?

“The strain in Brazil could be new because mutation rates in these viruses are high. Moist tropical climates, population explosion and international travel mean Asia is susceptible to Zika,” said Dr. Shailen Saxena, of the Indian Virological Society. He said that rapidly growing populations in many Asian countries make them vulnerable to an outbreak of Zika. As migration to cities increases, so do slums with poor sanitation and stagnant water where mosquitoes can breed.

Source: IRIN | After 60 years of Zika in Asia, why worry?

VDU’s blog: Zika virus: pathology, postulates and questions…

There remain a few of voids around the ZIKV/microcephaly topic that I can and have listed below…

  1. How long has ZIKV been in Brazil and in what numbers?
  2. What are the real (not affected by extra attention/poor reporting) rates of microcephaly in Brazil?
  3. Do real rates of microcephaly diagnoses vary by region/state?
  4. What are the real rates of microcephaly in countries other than Brazil?
  5. How many microcephaly diagnoses have been infected with ZIKV?
  6. How many infections by other viruses including Dengue virus (DENV)?
  7. Is microcephaly a seasonal diagnosis?
  8. What other possible causes of microcephaly also occur with a seasonal pattern?
  9. Are DENV and Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and other mosquito-borne virus infections seasonal?
  10. Is ZIKV seasonal?
  11. Is mosquito treatment and/or mosquito breeding in this region seasonal?
  12. Apart from Pyriproxyfen, what other pesticides are in use and are they all equally safe?
  13. What has been excluded from having a role in causing a GBS or microcephaly diagnosis so far?
  14. What are the data supporting this?
  15. What about other chemicals that have been associated with microcephaly, for example Isoretinoids in cosmetics [22]
  16. What is the tissue distribution of the ZIKV receptor(s) and are we happy we know what that receptor(s) is/are [23]?
  17. Does ZIKV cross the blood-brain and placental barriers in the absence of microcephaly?
  18. What does ZIKV do in foetal, or infant/child/adult, brain tissue?
  19. Is it destructive or inflammatory and does it constantly produce new virus or does it enter some type of latency?
  20. How long does ZIKV persist in foetal tissues?
  21. Are there long-term disease consequences from ZIKV infection of brain tissue that stretch into adulthood?
  22. Does ZIKV persist in the adult central nervous system or anywhere else apart from semen (and what is the upper limit of persistence in semen)? Do DENV, CHIKV, JEV etc persist?
  23. Are the mutations observed between ZIKV lineages and within lineages important for viral virulence, transmissibility or for the clinical course of disease?
  24. Is ZIKV present in and/or able to persist in the eye (during or after conjunctivitis) or in other organs?
  25. Are there mums with evidence of past ZIKV infection who have delivered completely healthy babies?
  26. Do these babies have any other issues?
  27. How has the study of ZIKV infection in mums been done – by unbiased selection and testing or testing only those with symptoms?
  28. When would we expect to see signs of microcephaly among pregnant mothers in Colombia and other countries with large outbreaks of ZIKV?

Source: VDU’s blog: Zika virus: pathology, postulates and questions…

(it is not easy, is it?)

Zika forest: birthplace of virus that has spread fear across the world | Global development | The Guardian

Zika was first identified in this spot near Entebbe. Now scientists must find out how a relatively mild virus spread so far, with such horrific effects…

But Uganda, the world capital of viruses, mostly shrugged – after all, malaria-carrying mosquitoes cause the deaths of 100,000 people in the country every year, most of them under five. Earlier this month it was reported that a malaria epidemic was raging in the north of the country, with over a million cases and 658 deaths since July. Meanwhile, 1.5 million Ugandans are infected with another virus, HIV, thousands have Hepatitis B, and there have been outbreaks of Ebola and Marburg.

“Say a million people suffered and 650 people died in one epidemic in a few months in Europe or the US,” said Kampala businessman Sudhir Otada. “What would be the reaction? Is it because we are poor?”

Mukwaya says he was astonished to hear of what was in Uganda a pretty harmless disease evolving into a potential global monster almost overnight on another continent. “I was very surprised by what has happened in Brazil,” he said. “Here it causes only a mild fever. I did not expect it to be that dangerous. It would be extraordinary if it really could spread from mosquito to human to human.”

Source: Zika forest: birthplace of virus that has spread fear across the world | Global development | The Guardian

Avian Flu Diary: ECDC EFSA Report: Antimicrobial Resistance On The Rise In The EU

Source: Avian Flu Diary: ECDC EFSA Report: Antimicrobial Resistance On The Rise In The EU

The report also found evidence of resistance to the antimicrobial colistin in Salmonella and E. coli  among poultry in the EU. “This is worrying because it means that this last-resort drug may soon no longer be effective for treating severe human infections with Salmonella” said Mike Catchpole, Chief Scientist for ECDC.

Besides the high levels of resistance shown throughout Europe, there are significant regional differences. The highest levels of antimicrobial resistance are observed in eastern and southern Europe. “In northern Europe, there is lower resistance in bacteria from poultry, particularly in countries with low use of antimicrobials in animals,” said Marta Hugas, Head of EFSA’s Biological Hazards and Contaminants unit.

Avian Flu Diary: CDC Statement On Level 1 Activation Of Their EOC For Zika

Activated for the Zika response since January 22, 2016,  the EOC is the command center for monitoring and coordinating the emergency response to Zika, bringing together CDC scientists with expertise in arboviruses, reproductive health, and birth and developmental defects. Their work includes:Developing laboratory tests to diagnose ZikaConducting studies to learn more about the possible linkages with microcephaly and Guillain Barré syndromeSurveillance for the virus in the United States, including US territoriesOn-the-ground support in Puerto Rico, Brazil and Colombia

Source: Avian Flu Diary: CDC Statement On Level 1 Activation Of Their EOC For Zika