We still don’t have a vaccine to protect pregnant mothers against the Zika virus, but new research suggests an already approved malaria drug has potential to prevent Zika virus in a mother’s bloodstream from crossing over to her child’s. A new study has found that the popular malaria drug hydroxychloroquine blocks the Zika virus passing from mother to her unborn fetus.… Read More »
According to a new study, shrunken testicles may soon be added to the list of possible side effects of the Zika virus. Researchers from Yale University found that Zika infections reduced the size of mice testes. The team is now investigating whether this shrinking also occurs in humans, and if so, whether it will affect male fertility. The… Read More »
Last year’s outbreak of the Zika virus had the world on edge. The summer was filled with reports of children being born with serious birth defects due to the viral infection caught by their mothers during pregnancy. However, a new study shows we’re still learning how the Zika virus affects mothers and children. The study conducted by researchers… Read More »
In a new study, scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have identified a specific trait in the Zika virus that allows it to cross the placental barrier and infect a fetus. The Zika virus has been associated with multiple neurological disorders in children exposed in utero, including microcephaly, a condition that causes babies to be born… Read More »
The importance of developing a vaccine against the Zika virus has been elevated since Zika was linked to serious developmental problems in children born to infected mothers. Although there is still no vaccine to protect against the virus, researchers from the National Institutes of Health have found an extremely promising candidate for such a drug. The vaccine… Read More »
This summer, the Zika virus spread fear throughout the Americas, and caused thousands of cases of microcephaly, a serious birth defect found in some babies born to infected mothers. Although the virus is spread through mosquito bites, a new paper warns that just because temperatures are cooling doesn’t mean the Zika scare is over. In a paper published… Read More »
On the heels of a global Zika virus outbreak, we still haven’t managed to find a cure or vaccine for the infection, but one innovative team of scientists have figured out the next best thing: A faster way to detect Zika infections. If people are aware of their infection status, they can take precautions, including using… Read More »
Researchers at Yale University have found that Zika appears to have caused glaucoma in an infant who was exposed to the virus during gestation, the first such case. The Zika virus has already been associated with multiple neurological disorders in children exposed in utero, as well as microcephaly, a condition that causes children to be born with abnormally… Read More »
A new mouse study published in Nature has found that Zika infection, in addition to harming unborn children, may also interfere with male fertility. Researchers found that just three weeks after contracting the virus, male mice’s testicles had shrunk, levels of their sex hormones had dropped and their fertility was reduced. Researchers found that these mice were… Read More »
A new case report published in Emerging Infectious Diseases has reaffirmed an unsettling aspect of the mosquito-borne Zika virus — it can survive in both men and women long after the initial infection has passed. Doctors reported on the case of a 26 year-old white women who returned to the U.S. from a trip to… Read More »
Over the weekend, Hurricane Matthew tore up the Southeastern United States and killed at least 17 people in four states, according to CNN, but the devastation may not be over in North Carolina, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. The Category 3 storm’s aftermath could further complicate efforts to stop the spread of Zika. The Zika virus — mainly… Read More »
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recently updated its recommendations for men who are trying to conceive while having been either infected with Zika or exposed to the virus. The organization previously recommended that man wait eight weeks before trying to conceive. Now the CDC says men should not try to conceive for six months. “The… Read More »
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