Brazil warns women not to get pregnant as zika virus is linked to rare birth defect. The zika virus, is borne by the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and scientists believe the virus may cause a neurological disorder.
An autopsy on a baby born with microcephaly in Ceará revealed the presence of the zika virus which also spreads chikungunya, dengue, and yellow fever.
Microcephaly is a rare neurological disorder that stunts the growth of the baby’s cranium. Typically, life expectancy for babies born with the condition is reduced. In 90% of cases, brain function is also reduced.
The director of the communicable disease
surveillance department at the ministry of health in Brazil, has advised women in high-risk areas to avoid attempting to conceive.
“Don’t get pregnant at the moment,” he said. “That’s the wisest course of action.”
Earlier this week, the World Health Organisation and the Pan American Health Organisation issued a worldwide epidemiological alert over the zika virus, which has also been recorded in Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Suriname and Venezuela.
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