Zika Virus - The Truth versus fiction

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   1) Zika is not a new virus. 
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/zika/en/

Zika virus is an emerging mosquito-borne virus that was first 
identified in Uganda in 1947 in rhesus monkeys through a monitoring 
network of sylvatic yellow fever. It was subsequently identified in 
humans in 1952 in Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania. Outbreaks 
of Zika virus disease have been recorded in Africa, the Americas, Asia 
and the Pacific.

2) The fact that Zika can be transmitted by sex is not new news. 
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/21/2/14-1363_article

In December 2013, during a Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak in French 
Polynesia, a patient in Tahiti sought treatment for hematospermia, and 
ZIKV was isolated from his semen. ZIKV transmission by sexual 
intercourse has been previously suspected. This observation supports the
 possibility that ZIKV could be transmitted sexually.

comment: This has been known since December 2013 by CDC. It is not news. 

3) This is not the first time tens of thousand of people have been infected. 
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/21/2/14-1363_article (once again)

The largest known ZIKV outbreak reported started in October 2013 in French Polynesia, South Pacific (3),
 a territory of France comprising 67 inhabited islands; an estimated 
28,000 persons (11% of the population) sought medical care for the 
illness.

This virus has been around 69 years.  

What is new?

For one, Zika has likely mutated. This would explain why it lived in Africa so long before coming to the Americas and started a serious outbreak in Brazil. 

Solution: We need the gene mapped of the new cases and compared to the strain that first came from Uganda. While sexual spread has been mentioned in several places years ago, what about other types such as droplets?   It was noted previously that some of these "mosquito spread" viruses could also be caught from handling dead animals or even contact with surfaces. How long does Zika live outside the body?

Most of all - what have we learned in more than 60 years about this virus and how much does it really apply to the form of Zika now spreading?  

Medclinician

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Medclinician Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List V.I.P. Member Valued Member Since 2006 Joined: July 08 2009 Status: Offline Points: 23322	Post Options Post Reply Quote Medclinician Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Zika Virus - The Truth versus fiction Posted: February 02 2016 at 9:41pm
	1) Zika is not a new virus. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/zika/en/ Zika virus is an emerging mosquito-borne virus that was first identified in Uganda in 1947 in rhesus monkeys through a monitoring network of sylvatic yellow fever. It was subsequently identified in humans in 1952 in Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania. Outbreaks of Zika virus disease have been recorded in Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific. 2) The fact that Zika can be transmitted by sex is not new news. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/21/2/14-1363_article In December 2013, during a Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak in French Polynesia, a patient in Tahiti sought treatment for hematospermia, and ZIKV was isolated from his semen. ZIKV transmission by sexual intercourse has been previously suspected. This observation supports the possibility that ZIKV could be transmitted sexually. comment: This has been known since December 2013 by CDC. It is not news. 3) This is not the first time tens of thousand of people have been infected. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/21/2/14-1363_article (once again) The largest known ZIKV outbreak reported started in October 2013 in French Polynesia, South Pacific (3), a territory of France comprising 67 inhabited islands; an estimated 28,000 persons (11% of the population) sought medical care for the illness. This virus has been around 69 years. What is new? For one, Zika has likely mutated. This would explain why it lived in Africa so long before coming to the Americas and started a serious outbreak in Brazil. Solution: We need the gene mapped of the new cases and compared to the strain that first came from Uganda. While sexual spread has been mentioned in several places years ago, what about other types such as droplets? It was noted previously that some of these "mosquito spread" viruses could also be caught from handling dead animals or even contact with surfaces. How long does Zika live outside the body? Most of all - what have we learned in more than 60 years about this virus and how much does it really apply to the form of Zika now spreading? Medclinician
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