In February 2016, rumors that microcephaly is caused by the use of the

larvicide pyriproxyfen in drinking water were refuted by scientists.[107][108]

[109] "It's important to state that some localities that do not use pyriproxyfen
also had reported cases of microcephaly", read a Brazilian government
statement.[110] The Brazilian government also refuted conspiracy theories
that chickenpox and rubella vaccinations or genetically modified mosquitoes
were causing increases in microcephaly.[109]

GuillainBarr syndrome[edit]
A high incidence of the autoimmune disease GuillainBarr syndrome (GBS),
noted in the French Polynesia outbreak, has also been found in the outbreak
that began in Brazil.[98] Laboratory analysis found Zika infections in some
patients with GBS in Brazil, El Salvador, Suriname and Venezuela,[111] and
the WHO declared on 22 March 2016 that Zika appeared to be "implicated" in
GBS infection, and that if the pattern was confirmed it would represent a
global public health crisis.[112]

Containment and control[edit]

Diagnosis[edit]
Main article: Zika fever
Symptoms of Zika virus
Symptoms of Zika virus[113]
Symptoms are similar to other flaviviruses such as dengue fever or the
alphavirus that causes chikungunya,[114] but are milder in form and usually
last two to seven days.[6] It is estimated that 80% of cases are
asymptomatic.[8] The main clinical symptoms in symptomatic patients are
low-grade fever, conjunctivitis, transient joint pain (mainly in the smaller
joints of the hands and feet) and maculopapular rash that often starts on the
face and then spreads throughout the body.[114]

It is difficult to diagnose Zika virus infection based on clinical signs and

symptoms alone due to overlaps with other arboviruses that are endemic to

similar areas.[115] The methods currently available to test for Zika antibodies
cross-react with dengue antibodies. An IgM-positive result in a dengue or Zika
ELISA test can only be considered indicative of a recent flavivirus infection.
Plaque-reduction neutralization tests can be performed and may be specific.
[116] The Zika virus can be identified by RT-PCR in acutely ill patients.[6]

Americas[edit]
Several countries, including Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Jamaica,
advised women to postpone getting pregnant until more was known about
the risks.[15][117] Plans were announced by the authorities in Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil, to try to prevent the spread of the Zika virus during the 2016 Summer
Olympics in Rio.[118] The health ministry of Peru installed more than 20,000
ovitraps during the 2015 dengue outbreak. The same ovitraps will be used to
monitor a potential Zika outbreak in tropical regions of Peru.[119]

symptoms of microcephaly
Symptoms of microcephaly, linked to mothers infected by Zika virus.[113]
Because of the "growing evidence of a link between Zika and microcephaly"
the CDC issued a travel warning on 15 January 2016 advising pregnant
women to consider postponing travel to Brazil as well as the following
countries and territories where Zika fever had been reported: Colombia, El
Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico,
Panama, Paraguay, Suriname, Venezuela, and the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico.[120] On 20 January, the Ministry of Health of Chile published a health
notice.[121] On 22 January, eight more countries and territories were added
to the list of those affected: Barbados, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guadeloupe, Saint
Martin, Guyana, Cape Verde, and Samoa.[122] On 1 February, Costa Rica and
Nicaragua were added to the list, bringing the number of countries and
territories affected to 28.[123]

The agency issued additional guidelines and suggested that women thinking
about becoming pregnant consult with their physicians before traveling.[124]
Canada issued a similar travel advisory.[118][125]

On 5 February 2016, after the laboratory confirmation of a Zika virus infection

in the U.S. in a non-traveler, which was linked to sexual contact with an

infected partner, the CDC issued interim guidelines for prevention of sexual
transmission of Zika virus for the United States.[8] These guidelines
recommend that men who reside in or have traveled to an area of active Zika
virus transmission who have a pregnant partner should abstain from sexual
activity or consistently and correctly use condoms during sex for the duration
of the pregnancy.[8] The guidelines recommend that pregnant women discuss
any possible Zika exposure with their male partners.[8] The guidelines
recommend that non-pregnant women and their partners consider taking
similar measures.[8] On 8 February 2016, CDC elevated its response efforts
to a Level 1 activation, the highest response level at the agency. On 23
February 2016, the CDC issued a statem2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
Jump up ^ "Zika Fever". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 1
February 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
Jump up ^ Rosen, Meghan (22 January 2016). "Rapid spread of Zika virus in
the Americas raises alarm". Science News (Society for Science and the Public)
189 (4): 16. Retrieved 16 February 2016.". The Gleaner (Kingston, Jamaica).
Jump up ^ Quirs, Jorge E. (21 March 2016). "Aumentan a 149 casos por virus
del zika" [Zika cases increase to 149]. TVN Noticias (in Spanish) (Panama).
Jump up ^ Nowakowski, Kelsey (15 March 2016). "Weekly Update: Four More
Zika Cases, No New Dengue Cases Confirmed". St. Thomas Source. Retrieved
16 March 2016.
Jump up ^ "Protocolo de vigilncia e resposta ocorrncia de microcefalia"
[Protocol for surveillance the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana
(Slovenia), led by young researcher Jernej Mlakar, M.D., published an article
in The New England Journal of Medicine, connecting the Zika virus to
microcephaly.[84]

Proving that Zika causes these effects is difficult and complex for several
reasons.[90][91] For example, the effects on an infant might not be seen until
months after the mother's initial infection, long after the time when Zika is
easily detected in the body.[90] In addition, research is also needed to
determine the mechanism by which Zika produces these effects.[92]
datE". Outbreak News Today. 1 April 2016.
Jump up ^ Ifrati, Ido (7 February 2016). "No Reason for Panic in Israel Over
Zika, Say Health Officials". Haaretz Newspaper.
Jump up ^ "New Zika virus infection confirmed in Japan". Japan Today. 12
March 2016.

Jump up ^ "Russia confirms first imported Zika virus case". The Financial
Express. Indo-Asian News Service. 16 February 2016. Retrieved 26 February
2016.ent further encouraging adherence to this guidance after 14 reports of
possible sexual transmission of the virus were under investigation.[9][10]

On 18 March 2016, Centers for Disease Prevention and Control cautioned

men who have been infected with Zika from attempting to conceive children
due to probability of virus transfer from man to woman during sexual activity
which in turn can affect the fetus, under this cautioZika virus infection in a
traveller returning to Europe from Brazil, March 2015". Eurosurveillance 20
(23): 21153. doi:10.2807/1560-7917.ES2015.20.23.21153. PMID 26084316.
Jump up ^ "Zika virus warning issued to New Brunswick travellers". CBC
News. 5 February 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
Jump up ^ Sun, Lena H. (20 January 2016). "CDC: Dozen or so cases of Zika
virus among U.S. residents". The Washington Post. Retrieved 24 January
2016.
Jump up ^ Rajagopalan, Megha; Jim, Clare; Shakil, Ismail; et al. (10 February
2016). "China confirms first case of Zika virus". Reuters (Beijing/Hong Kong).