2400 infants born with microcephaly in Brazil; Zika, mosquito-borne virus, implicated

[Nehkara]

Brazil declares emergency after 2,400 babies are born with brain damage, possibly due to mosquito-borne virus

The pathogen, known as Zika and first discovered in forest monkeys in Africa over 70 years ago, is the new West Nile -- a virus that causes mild symptoms in most but can lead to serious neurological complications or even death in others. Brazil's health ministry said on Nov. 28 that it had found the Zika virus in a baby with microcephaly — a rare condition in which infants are born with shrunken skulls — during an autopsy after the child died. The virus was also found in the amniotic fluid of two mothers whose babies had the condition.

Brazil is investigating more than more than 2,400 suspected cases of microcephaly and 29 deaths of infants that occurred this year. Last year the country saw only 147 cases of microcephaly.

This is awful. Apparently in the hardest hit areas they are indicating that women should perhaps hold off on getting pregnant for now until the outbreak is contained.

Brazil is essentially waging war with the aedes aegypti mosquito which caries the virus. They are hiring over a quarter million people to go door to door and treat areas where the mosquitoes may breed with larvicide.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

What horror for those parents

No animal kills more people on this planet than mosquitos. Nature's little death machines.

[Nehkara]

Originally Posted by Fire of the Phoenix

What horror for those parents

No animal kills more people on this planet than mosquitos. Nature's little death machines.

Yup. Between malaria, Zika, West Nile, Chikungunya, Yellow fever, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, St. Louis Encephalitis, LaCrosse Encephalitis, Western Equine Encephalitis, and dengue fever they are little terrors for humans.

[To Be Quite Honest]

This planet needs more spiders.

[sharkov]

Originally Posted by To Be Quite Honest

This planet needs more spiders.

Spiderbros!

[Caged Great]

There is a way to make mosquitoes extinct, although that would impact the food chain significantly.

I think it may become a good idea to pull the trigger on this despite the impact on other species.

[Raekwon]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

There is a way to make mosquitoes extinct, although that would impact the food chain significantly.

I think it may become a good idea to pull the trigger on this despite the impact on other species.

Isn't it genetically altering them so that they only have male offspring or something? I say lets do it, obviously whichever animals are responsible for eating mosquitos aren't doing their job

[FlamingHomer]

That is a problem here as well. The big concern is Dengue Fever which there have been many cases of. We are in an area that is affluent enough to receive ongoing spraying to control the problem. However the communities that can't are the breeding ground for these mosquitoes so it may never go away.

[Knut]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquito_laser

Or the mosquito laser

[4X4]

I don't see why we don't just ban all mosquitoes. Not only do they attack me, they also bite bears and dogs, and they infest our lake communities.

[Knut]

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-35399403

Looks like it is spreading to other countries and the Carribean

[CampbellsTransgressions]

What happens if we try to kill mosquitoes, but only end up reducing the populations of animals that eat them?

I'm all for it though. If mankind is going to intentionally eliminate one species, it should be the mosquito.

[heep223]

Reason #24028471 why Canada is awesome

[manwiches]

Has anybody heard of this affecting women wanting to get pregnant eventually? Also any effect on toddlers/children? I've heard that a couple countries are asking for pregnancies to be delayed for a couple years for those living there, but nothing about visiting and then trying for a baby.

The reason I ask is because my wife and I were planning a trip in April to Cancun with 1.5 year old son. Also, we were thinking of trying for a second late this year or early next.

[Coach]

Can the animals that eat mosquitos also eat other things, or are there mosquito-eaters that only eat mosquitos?

If not, we should wipe out all mosquitos.

[Knut]

Wipe them out regardless. They are responsible for 725,000 human deaths per year

[blankall]

Originally Posted by manwiches

Has anybody heard of this affecting women wanting to get pregnant eventually? Also any effect on toddlers/children? I've heard that a couple countries are asking for pregnancies to be delayed for a couple years for those living there, but nothing about visiting and then trying for a baby.

The reason I ask is because my wife and I were planning a trip in April to Cancun with 1.5 year old son. Also, we were thinking of trying for a second late this year or early next.

From what I understand the virus is only temporary. The microcephaly is caused by infection at certain crucial stages during the first trimester of pregnancy. Overall, the virus itself is supposed to be quite mild, consisting of a fever and rash, which disappears within a few days to a week.

http://www.cdc.gov/zika/

The virus is also expected to spread into the USA, but will not hit Canada as we do not have mosquitos that transmit it.

[northcrunk]

I'm in for the war on mosquitos.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Raekwon

Isn't it genetically altering them so that they only have male offspring or something?

[CaptainCrunch]

Not to sound cruel, but isn't this part of the natural balance of things?

Yes its tragic that they're killing people by carrying this disease, but isn't this part of the whole circle of life thing.

Plus who knows what will happen if you wipe them out, you might wipe out an untold number of other species, or worse something will evolve to take its place as an effective disease carrier, like an immune dog with bee's in its mouth that carry the virus.