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A28 SCIENCE
Saturday 1 July 2017

Science Says: Pregnant or trying? Don’t let Zika guard down

By LAURAN NEERGAARD , those messages to the to track the health of 500
AP Medical Writer people who most need it newborns and 700 other
WASHINGTON (AP) — The when Zika is fast receding children ages 1 to 5.
Zika virus may not seem as from the public’s radar — “Our concern is that a de-
big a threat as last summer even as money may be veloping brain in early life
but don’t let your guard drying up to track the virus can be impacted signifi-
down — especially if you’re and the babies it injures. cantly,” Dr. Flor Munoz of
pregnant or trying to be. UNCERTAINTY AS MOSQUI- Baylor College of Medi-
While cases of the birth TO SEASON GETS IN FULL cine, who will help lead
defect-causing virus have SWING the study, said in a state-
dropped sharply from last In the past month, Puerto ment. “It’s an important
year’s peak in parts of Latin Rico and Brazil, hard hit question to address not just
America and the Carib- by Zika last year, declared for children that live in the
bean, Zika hasn’t disap- their epidemics over. But endemic areas, but also
peared from the region smaller numbers of infec- for children who travel to
and remains a potential tions continue around the In this Sept. 28, 2016 file photo, Jose Wesley Campos, who these areas.”
threat. region, according to the was born with microcephaly, cries during a physical therapy Back in the U.S., public
It’s hard to predict how CDC and the Pan Ameri- session at the AACD rehabilitation center in Recife, Brazil. health advocates worry
much risk people face in can Health Organization. Associated Press that $1.1 billion Congress
locales with smoldering in- “Zika hasn’t gone away,” approved last year to study
fection, or if cases might said CDC acting director are potential spreaders in 20 women with Zika so and fight Zika is running out
spike again. For now, preg- Dr. Anne Schuchat. “We of infection if mosquitoes far have had babies with — including funding for a
nant women still are being can’t afford to be com- back home bite them and birth defects in U.S. territo- birth defects surveillance
urged not to travel to a placent.” The U.S. Zika then someone else. That ries, according to the latest program intended to mon-
country or area with even Pregnancy Registry counts happened late last year in pregnancy registry data. itor affected babies’ de-
a few reported cases of 1,963 pregnant women parts of South Florida and Risk was higher if mom was velopment and connect
Zika, because the conse- in U.S. states who had lab Texas, and local health infected during the first them to health services.
quences can be disastrous tests showing Zika infec- officials remain on alert in trimester, but even third- That surveillance is critical
for a fetus’ brain . tion since officials began case it happens again. trimester infections some- for knowing what’s going
“It’s part of the new real- counting in 2016, and an- There is no treatment for times led to birth defects. on, said Dr. Oscar Alleyne
ity,” said Dr. Martin Cetron other 4,107 in U.S. territories. Zika. Another scary issue: Some of the National Association
of the Centers for Disease Since the beginning of ZIKA’S FULL HEALTH EFFECTS babies appear fine at birth of County and City Health
Control and Prevention. June, 271 pregnant wom- ARE UNKNOWN only to develop health Officials. “Otherwise we’re
Those trying to conceive, en were added to the Babies born to Zika-infect- problems later on. What if flying blind.”
and their partners, are ad- registry’s Zika count, 80 of ed mothers can experi- Zika can harm a newborn’s WHERE’S THE VACCINE?
vised to check with their them in U.S. states and the ence severe brain-related still-developing brain like The NIH recently began the
doctor on how long to wait rest residents of U.S. territo- defects even if mom had it does a fetal brain? Af- first large test of a potential
after visiting a location with ries, although it’s not clear no symptoms. Abnormally ter all, one way Zika does vaccine, a study that aims
active Zika infection. when they became infect- small heads, called mi- its damage is by attack- to enroll 2,400 people in
There are lingering ques- ed. crocephaly, are the most ing developing brain cells Florida, Texas, Puerto Rico
tions, too, about Zika’s What about nonpreg- attention-getting defect. called neural progenitor and five Zika-prone coun-
risk beyond pregnancy, nant travelers? CDC has Babies also may have cells, and babies retain tries. There are no signs
enough that U.S. scientists counted 140 cases so far hearing or vision loss, sei- many of those cells for of safety problems. But if
just began studying ba- this year in U.S. states, all zures, trouble swallowing or months after birth. To find Zika infections remain at
bies in Guatemala to learn of them who had symp- restricted limb movement. out, the National Institutes low levels, it’s likely to take
if infection after birth also toms. The vast majority of Zika infection also can lead of Health just funded a more than one summer of
might damage the brain. people who get Zika don’t to miscarriage or stillbirth. new study in Guatemala, shots to prove if the vac-
The challenge is getting notice symptoms, yet still What’s the risk? About 1 where Zika still is spreading, cine really protects.q