LATEST INFO ON ZIKA VIRUS

The findings are due to be presented at the
American Academy of Neurology's (AAN) 68th
Annual Meeting later this week in Vancouver,
Canada.
Zika virus has previously been linked to fetal
brain abnormalities , microcephaly and Guillain-
Barré syndrome - an autoimmune disorder that
attacks the nervous system, leading to long-
term weakness and paralysis.
The new study, conducted by Dr. Maria Lucia
Brito Ferreira and colleagues at Restoration
Hospital in Recife, Brazil, suggests that
another condition called acute disseminated
encephalomyelitis (ADEM) could be added to
this list.
"Though our study is small, it may provide
evidence that in this case the virus has
different effects on the brain than those
identified in current studies," says Dr.
Ferreira.
"Much more research will need to be done to
explore whether there is a causal link between
Zika and these brain problems."
ADEM typically occurs after an infection, with
50-75% of cases developing after a viral or
bacterial infection, according to the Cleveland
Clinic. In what could be an immune reaction to
the infection, swelling occurs in the brain and
spinal cord that damages the myelin, the
protective coating that surrounds nerve fibers.
The damage to the myelin leads to symptoms
that are very similar to those caused by
multiple sclerosis (MS), including fatigue ,
weakness to the point of paralysis and signs of
white matter tissue damage in the brain.
For their study, Dr. Ferriera and colleagues
followed every patient that visited the hospital
presenting symptoms associated with the
family of viruses that includes Zika virus,
along with dengue and chikungunya. The period
of observation ran from December 2014-June
2015.
Each patient that was followed during the
study came to the hospital with a fever that
was followed by the development of a rash.
Other symptoms shown by these patients
included itching, red eyes and joint or muscle
pain. All patients were found to have Zika
virus.
Findings suggest clinicians ' should be
vigilant' for ADEM in cases of Zika
Of these patients, a total of six went on to
develop neurological symptoms that were
indicative of an autoimmune disorder. For
some, these symptoms developed instantly,
while for others, the symptoms manifested up
to 15 days later. These patients underwent
additional examination and blood testing.
The researchers found that two of these six
patients had developed ADEM. Scans of their
brains showed signs that their white matter
had been damaged. The other four patients had
developed Guillain-Barré syndrome.
After they had been discharged from the
hospital, five of the patients still showed
problems with the working of their muscles.
One patient had problems with their memory
and thinking skills, while another had problems
with their vision.
Dr. Ferreira suggests that caution should be
taken when interpreting the findings of the
study, stating that they do not mean that all
people infected with Zika will experience these
brain problems.
"Of those who have nervous system problems,
most do not have brain symptoms," she
explains. "However, our study may shed light on
possible lingering effects the virus may be
associated with in the brain."

Dr. James Sejvar, a member of the AAN,
states that the findings suggest clinicians
"should be vigilant for the possible occurrence
of ADEM and other immune-mediated illnesses
of the central nervous system."
The most pressing question for Dr. Sejvar,
however, is why the Zika virus has been
strongly associated with diseases such as
ADEM and Guillain-Barré syndrome.
"Hopefully, ongoing investigations of Zika virus
and immune-mediated neurologic disease will
shed additional light on this important
question," he concludes.
Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) gave the go-ahead for an
investigational test to be used to screen blood
donations for Zika.