Suspected microcephaly cases in Brazil reach 3,530
Transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the Zika virus began circulating in Brazil in 2014
In its latest statement released Tuesday (Jan. 12), the Ministry of Health announced that 3,530 suspected microcephaly cases related to the Zika virus in newborns were reported in Brazil between 22 October 2015 and 9 January. Microcephaly is caused by an irreversible brain malformation, which can result in mental, sight, and hearing impairment.
The update has also confirmed that the death of two newborn babies and two miscarriages in Rio Grande do Norte were related to the Zika virus. The ministry is also investigating whether the deaths of 46 other babies with microcephaly in the Northeast region are related to the virus. Malformation reports occurred in 724 municipalities across 21 Brazilian states.
The state of Pernambuco, where a surge in microcephaly was first reported, continues to be the state with the largest number of suspected cases (1,236), accounting for 35% of the total cases reported in the country. Next are the states of Paraíba (569), Bahia (450), Ceará (192), Rio Grande do Norte (181), Sergipe (155), Alagoas (149), Mato Grosso (129), and Rio de Janeiro (122).
Transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the Zika virus began circulating in Brazil in 2014. By the second half of 2015, its symptoms were known to be milder than those of the dengue and the chikungunya fever, both of which are also transmitted by Aedes aegypti. However, on November 28, the Ministry of Health verified that Zika infection at pregnancy can lead to microcephaly in the baby.
Microcephaly is not new. It can be caused by a range of factors, including toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus infection and, as it has now been established, by the Zika virus. Alcohol and drug use during pregnancy can also cause microcephaly.
Translated by Mayra Borges
Fonte: Suspected microcephaly cases in Brazil reach 3,530
